


Calamity Isle

by SilentWolf76



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Accusations, Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Gore, Boat, Broken Bones, Character Death, Concussions, Confrontations, Cuts, Dislocated limbs, Feels, Gen, Half-Blindness, Hurt Azumane Asahi, Hurt Ennoshita Chikara, Hurt Hinata Shouyou, Hurt Narita Kazuhito, Hurt Nishinoya Yuu, Hurt Sawaruma Daichi, Hurt Shimizu Kiyoko, Hurt Sugawara Koushi, Hurt Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Hurt Tsukishima Kei, Hurt Ukai Keishin, Hurt Yachi Hitoka, Hurt Yamaguchi Tadashi, Islands, Major Character Injury, Minor Injuries, Nature, Ocular trauma, Rented boat, Shipwrecks, Sick Kageyama Tobio, Sprains, Stranded, Stranger - Freeform, Stranger shows his true colours, Survival, Suspicions, Ukai is the only adult, kinda gorey but not that much, not anymore though, only one person dies though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 01:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 95,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9410564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentWolf76/pseuds/SilentWolf76
Summary: After beating Shiratorizawa, Coach Ukai rewards the team by taking them on a boat trip around Japan. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse, and the team end up shipwrecked on an unfamiliar island, and must fight for survival until someone comes and saves them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey guys, been a while since I've brought out a new story, hasn't it? Actually, I'm working on another one as well, but that's not done yet.
> 
> This was kinda inspired by The Abandoned House by echo_abendrot. Seriously, it's such an amazing fic. You should read it sometime. The layout they use, what with the POV changes, is really cool and they're often left on cliffhangers. That sort of technique is what inspired me to write a story like this (you'll know what I mean in the next chapter or so).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Coach Ukai really was a great coach.

After beating Shiratorizawa, he decided to treat the team by hiring a massive yacht and telling them that they were going for a boat trip around Japan, starting from Miyagi. When he'd first told them, they were over the moon with joy and excitement.

The entire team were going, including Kiyoko and Yachi, and of course Ukai was the 'captain' of the boat, as he'd called it. Takeda, however, had declined, instead saying that he had a lot of work to do at school.

So, now they stood, at seven o'clock in the morning, before a huge yacht that looked expensive, with their bags that contained clothes, toiletries and other necessities.

"This is gonna be great!" Hinata exclaimed, his grin reaching his ears.

"Glad you think so." Ukai replied, before muttering under his breath, "Cost me a bloody fortune after all."

Daichi caught the last part, and raised an eyebrow before standing to his full height and clearing his throat. "If you damage the boat, you pay for it. Got it?" After a chorus of nods, he smiled. "Good. Coach, can we get on?"

"Sure. Choose your rooms as well, although I think it's about two or three to a room, just so you know." He'd barely finished speaking before Nishinoya and Hinata raced up onto the boat. "Don't run!" Ukai called after them, but they either ignored him or didn't hear him. Sighing, he turned to board as well, but only after everyone else had gotten on.

None of them knew that they would later regret ever boarding.

* * *

~Two days later~

They'd travelled a good distance from Miyagi, and had already gone ashore three times for sightseeing.

At the moment, half of the fifteen aboard the vessel were above deck. Tanaka lounged across a deck chair, wearing sunglasses and relaxing with his hands behind his head.

"Ahhhh…" he sighed with content, "this is the life."

"I second that." Nishinoya agreed, more or less in the exact same position as his friend.

Hinata nudged Kageyama, who had been staring out across the ocean, which they were fairly far out in. "Hey, Kageyama, can we practice volleyball?"

The setter's eye twitched as he slowly turned to face the shorter teen. "If you wanna play, fine, but when you go to dive for a ball, don't expect me to fish you out of the water." The ginger fell silent after that.

Meanwhile, Kiyoko stayed with Ukai to help him out below deck. _I wonder what we'll be doing next,_ she thought as she looked through the large glass at the wide expanse of ocean around them. They sure had gone far out today. _Hmm…I haven't seen any dolphins yet. I hope I do see some, though. They're such beautiful creatures._

She was drawn out of her thoughts by Ukai cursing under his breath. Concerned, she walked over to him and frowned.

"What's wrong?" She asked as he bit his thumb nail.

"Apparently, a storm's coming," he glanced at a small device, "rather quickly."

The manager's eyes flew wide. "Wha-?! But the forecast for today was good! Why is there a storm?!"

"I don't know. All I know is that we need to get to shore, and fast." He clicked his tongue, before turning to her.

"Do me a favour and get everyone who's above deck down, will you?"

Kiyoko nodded and took off at an almost running pace. _Why is there a storm?! There wasn't any warning before, so why is it here? Is it some sort of terrible luck? I hope not._

She didn't realise that she'd reached the deck as she was so lost in thought, trying to work out why the storm would appear out of nowhere when the forecast had been great.

It was only when she felt hands on her shoulders that she was snapped back to reality, and gazed into the eyes of Sugawara, who was frowning at her.

"Kiyoko? What's the matter? Are you okay?" He asked as he let go of her shoulders.

Shaking her head, the third-year stared at the ground. "We- there's a storm coming, and we need to go below deck, and we're really far out, and we might not make it back to the shore in time, and we might die-"

"Whoa whoa whoa." Sugawara raised his hands to cut her off. "Who said we were going to _die_? Trust me, we're not gonna die. It's probably just a minor storm that slipped under the radar or something. Don't worry." Then he addressed the others. "But we should head inside, in case of strong wind or lightning."

"But it looks fine to me." Tanaka took his sunglasses off, glancing up at the calm waters and the mostly clear sky.

Kageyama frowned and turned to gaze at the sky, trying to find some sort of rolling grey cloud or drop of rain, which would signify the start of the supposed storm.

"Yes, but it won't soon." Kiyoko argued, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

The raven-haired setter's eyes widened as he noticed something in the distance, approaching rapidly for something of its magnitude. "Uh, guys…"

"But Suga said it's probably only a minor storm, so why should we worry? It'll pass." The second-year stood his ground.

"Guys, listen to me-"

"C'mon, just listen to what she says." Nishinoya mumbled to him as he got up.

"Oi-"

"Oh, not you too, Noya?!" Tanaka clenched his fists. "Stop overreacting!"

"What is your _problem_ all of a sudden?!" The libero yelled back.

" _Shut it and listen to me!"_ Kageyama, furious at being ignored, bellowed, effectively silencing everyone. Once everyone stared expectantly at him, waiting for what he had to say, he began. "You think the storm is only minor? Take a look over there." He pointed in the direction of the stern (back of the boat), where climbing over the horizon was a massive grey cloud, accompanied by occasional flashes of lighting. It was clear that the storm wouldn't be small at all.

Nishinoya noticed that Tanaka took a shaky breath as he stared at the giant cloud. He seemed to be the only person to notice it, though.

"Oh my God…" Sugawara murmured, before ordering that everyone get inside _now_. Everyone complied, including Tanaka, who had become strangely silent.

Once they were inside, Tanaka mumbled an apology to Kiyoko and said that he was going to his room, which he shared with Nishinoya. Said teenager made to follow him when Daichi got his attention.

"Alright, listen up! Coach is doing his best to get us back to land before the storm hits us, but we need to brace for it just in case! I'm not sure what was going through Tanaka's mind, but we can't argue among ourselves! We work as a team on the court, so we can work as a team here!"

A chorus of cheers sounded out, and Kiyoko felt relief blossom in her chest. They'd be fine. They had the ever-inspiring captain Daichi, and the ever-comforting vice-captain Sugawara, which set her at ease. _We'll be okay. When the team's together, we can get through anything, storms included._

* * *

Nishinoya, on the other hand, snuck off almost immediately to go see Tanaka. Daichi's mini speech only made him worry more. Would Ukai get them back to shore in time? Would they drown if the boat got hit badly? What _was_ going through Tanaka's mind? These questions all needed answering, and he knew that only Tanaka would be able to answer the final one.

It didn't take long for the short teen to reach the room he shared with Tanaka, and was at least a little relieved to find that the door want locked. Pounding on the door would attract attention that the wing spiker probably didn't want.

Nishinoya knocked on the door and announced that he was coming in. When he got no reply, he opened the door and stepped into the room, surprised to find it seemingly vacant. Closing the door behind him, he called out, "Tanaka?". He got no reply. "C'mon, I know you're in here."

His sharp senses heard a quiet whimper, and swiftly pinpointed it - under one of the beds. _What is he doing under the bed?_

"Tanaka?" No further sound was made, and Noya sighed and walked towards the bed. "C'mon Ryuu, why are you hiding under the bed?" He heard a groan, as if Tanaka hated the fact that his hiding place had been found. "Come out and talk to me."

"N-no." The hiding teen refused, and Nishinoya could have sworn that his voice cracked.

"Well, if you're not coming out, then I'm coming in. Or under." True to his word, he got on all fours, before turning his body, lying flat on the ground, and crawling under the bed.

"Noya! Wh-what are you doing?!" Tanaka half-yelled, half-shrieked as Nishinoya approached him.

He ignored the question, instead asking one of his own. "What's wrong?"

Tanaka shook his head, nearly hitting his head on the bottom of the bed. "Nothing."

"There's obviously something that's bothering you."

"No."

"You argued with Kiyoko."

"I know, but-"

" _Kiyoko_. Why would you argue with _Kiyoko_ of all people? It's the first time I've ever seen you do that."

"It's a little cramped under here."

"Stop avoiding the question."

"I'm not."

"What's bothering you?"

"I _told_ you-"

"And I'm telling _you_ that there _is_ something bothering you and neither of us are moving until you tell me."

"Fine!" Tanaka sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I…I'm…s-scared of…" He trailed off, turning his head away from his friend, as if he were embarrassed.

"Scared of what?"

"S-s…storms…" He choked out, and as if on cue, a loud clap of thunder boomed across the room.

Nishinoya's eyes widened slightly. "Seriously? I never knew. What's it called? Ar-aro-no, that's not right. Uh…ar-arachnophobia?"

"That's spiders."

"Right. Uh…I know it begins with an 'a'." He hummed in thought and his eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, he clicked his fingers. "Astraphobia! That's it! That's what you've got, right?"

"Uh…I wouldn't say it's on a level of a phobia, more like just a strong fear of them."

"Meh…I'd class that as a phobia but sure, whatever you say."

A slight smile tugged on Tanaka's lips. "Are you afraid of anything?"

"Hmm…would you believe me if I said no?"

"No."

"Thought so." Nishinoya smiled as he thought about something he's afraid of. "Can it be volleyball-related?"

"No."

"Thought so." He turned his gaze to face the other bed; well, however much of it he could actually see from his position under the bed. "I suppose I'm afraid of-"

He was cut off as the yacht suddenly hit a large wave, causing both teens to go slamming between the bottom of the bed and the floor.

"Ow…" Noya brought his hand up to rub his head, before snapping his head to the side as he heard Tanaka whimper. "Don't worry Ryuu; we're safe in here."

"The l-lightning-"

"The lightning can't get us."

"The th-thunder-"

"The thunder can't get us."

"The w-wind-"

"The wind can't get us."

Tanaka turned his head to face Nishinoya. "The s-storm-"

"The storm can't get us. We're safe."

"But-"

"C'mon, this isn't like you. You're one of the best volleyball players on the team, right?"

"Uh…"

"And one of the most intimidating people ever, aren't you?"

"…"

"You're one of the most loyal friends in the world, right?"

"…Yeah…"

"So don't let a storm get you down."

"But they're so s-scary and-"

"Why are they scary?"

Tanaka shivered. "They're loud-"

"So is a volleyball match in front of an audience."

"They're big-"

"So are the blockers who jump to stop your spikes."

"They're destructive-"

"So are the plays of crazy volleyball players."

"…"

"Think of a storm as a volleyball match. The thunder is the audience, the size is the players and the destruction is the daring plays of both sides."

Tanaka frowned, wriggled out from under the bed, heading over to the window. Nishinoya followed him.

"B-but the waves-"

Noya placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The waves are the spirits of both teams. The lead is constantly changing. It's a fairly even match. Who will win? Team Tanaka or Team Storm?" He changed his voice to sound like that of a commentator's. "Team T's ace, Tanaka Ryuunosuke, goes in for a daring spike, but the blockers from Team S go to the stop him-" at this point, a giant wave soared up, before crashing down again, "-but his spike shoots past them and hits the ground; it's in! He scores a point, and Team T take the lead! The crowd goes wild!" A loud clap of thunder proved his point.

Tanaka laughed. "You make a great commentator, Noya." The libero grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Well, I better get going. Daichi'll have my head if I don't at least help everyone brace for this sto- _incredible volleyball match_." He quickly changed what he was going to say, before starting to walk away.

"Wait, please don't leave me!" Tanaka grabbed his wrist.

Noya chuckled. "Well, I've gotta go anyway, so I guess you're coming with me!"

"I can't go out of here, it's dangerous!"

"And Team T's ace moves in again for another spike – but what's this? He's running round to another side to do a quick! If he can pull this off, he'll win a point for sure!" He didn't even hesitate.

"Yeah, that's right. It's just an intense volleyball match, right? I'm gonna do a quick, so let's go!"

"That's the spirit, Team Tanaka's ace! C'mon, before you miss your chance!"

"Yeah!" With that, the two boys ran – albeit unsteadily as the boat rocked in the waves – out the room and down the hallway, fears forgotten.

As soon as they got there, they froze. People were running round all over the place, shouting orders that were either never heard, misheard or ignored. Some of the windows were cracked, with water hissing through. The boat couldn't ride the waves and was shooting forward in a random direction. No-one could make out which way it was to the shore. In a nutshell, it was utter pandemonium.

"Noya! Tanaka!" The unmistakeable voice of Daichi caught their attention, and they turned their heads to see their captain, frantically beckoning them to him.

They wasted no time running over, nearly losing their footing a couple of times. When they were close enough, they saw why Daichi wanted them.

He was stood next to a window which was missing a medium-sized chunk of it, and seawater was gushing in. The captain was doing his best to staunch the flow of water, but it was still forcing its way into the yacht. The floor was already soaked, and no-one had a spare pair of hands to assist him.

"I want to know where you two were later, but right now help me with this leak!" Daichi ordered. "Actually, Tanaka, help me here, Noya, go look for a bucket or something to help here."

"Got it!" Nishinoya ran off, leaving Tanaka to help cover the hole. He noticed a few small cuts on Daichi's hands.

"What happened to your hands?" Tanaka yelled over the noise around them.

"It's nothing; just got shoved into the window when we hit a wave badly."

"Oh, okay." Suddenly, there was a particularly loud clap of thunder. The second-year shut his eyes tightly, muttering, "Just the applause of the crowd, it's a volleyball match, yeah, an intense one-"

"What are you on about?"

Tanaka opened his eyes. "Noya gave me some great advice; it helps a lot."

Despite everything, Daichi smiled softly. "Yeah, he can be pretty amazing at times."

Suddenly, Yachi came running towards them. The panic on her face caused Daichi to lose his smile. "Guys!" She panted. "Coach Ukai said that we're rapidly heading towards an island! He doesn't know which one it is; he's never seen it before, but he can't fight the momentum of the storm, so we have no choice but to brace for impact. Okay?"

"Okay, got it. Thanks." Daichi nodded. Yachi turned and ran off.

"Daichi…" Tanaka called weakly. "Are we gonna die?"

The captain turned to his underclassman. "No," he answered, "we're not. Because that'll be giving up. We don't give up. We fight. Karasuno…fight!" The last part he yelled at the top of his lungs, and Tanaka could have sworn that he heard a faint reply from somewhere.

Suddenly, the large rises and falls of the waves began to lessen, and the second-year dared to hope that maybe the storm was passing, until an awful screeching noise deafened his ears as the yacht found land the hard way, and went flying across the sudden beach that appeared to have come out of nowhere. Shutting his eyes, Tanaka held his breath, unable to calm his racing heartbeat, as he waited for the motion to end.

Without warning, the boat swerved to the side, and his head collided with the window. The strong urge to give in to unconsciousness came out of nowhere, and he hoped that that was better than this new reality. He vaguely registered strong arms around him before the darkness took him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sugawara wakes up, and searches for the others, soon coming across the person who saved his life aboard the yacht.
> 
> Yamaguchi finds out something shocking, and Asahi comforts him as best he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

To say Sugawara was scared was an understatement.

From the moment Kiyoko ran up onto the deck and ordered everyone inside, he felt fear setting in the pit of his stomach.

And when the boat was crashing into the waves, that fear spread to his heart and head. _We're going to die._ That was the thought that repeated itself over and over in his head. But when he saw how the team, minus Tanaka and Nishinoya, worked together to ensure the safety – and survival – of those on board, he started to have second thoughts about that thought. Instead, he changed it to 'are we going to die', which remained to be seen.

He narrowed his eyes as he turned his head to gaze upwards, to the deck. _Should I go up and see if anything's there that we might need? After all, the windows are cracking. Any moment now, we could be underwater._

Deciding to go up, he headed to the stairs, not noticing the horrified stares of his teammates who saw him.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Sugawara sprang up onto the deck, grabbing for the rail as the boat suddenly dived downwards, spraying water at him. His hair flew everywhere in the strong wind, and for a second he feared that he might be blown away. The rain poured down from the heavens, soaking the deck and swelling the wild ocean that thrashed around like an angry animal.

Trying his best to ignore the deafening thunder and the bright lightning, he raised a hand to try and keep the rain out his eyes as he scanned the deck for anything useful.

Just as he thought there wasn't anything and he was just wasting his time, something caught his eye. _Of course! The lifebuoy! That will definitely come in handy!_ The problem was, it was the other side of the deck.

Taking a deep breath, Sugawara let go of the rail and began to slowly walk towards the opposite side of the deck, arms out for balance on the constantly moving yacht. Surprisingly enough, he nearly made it there with no slip-ups; of course, he just jinxed it. Accidentally stepping on a slippery patch of water, his leg slipped out from under him and the setter was sent crashing to the floor, where he started to roll towards the edge of the boat as it tipped to the side.

" _Suga_!" A voice yelled, startling him. _Who's that?_ He wondered as his arms flailed desperately to hang onto something. There was a gap between the bottom of the rail and the deck – a gap just big enough for Suga to fit through. _No no no, this can't be happening!_ He panicked. Then the gap started to swallow him, starting from his legs. The feeling of having nothing underneath your feet except wind until you smacked into the water was not reassuring at all for him. His torso was being eaten by the gap, soon to be digested in the water. His nails dragged uselessly across the deck as he frantically tried to save himself from death.

Suddenly, a hand latched onto his left wrist, stopping him from going overboard. After all, if he did go overboard, there was no chance of saving him. He would be a goner.

"Suga, hold on!" Suga's saviour yelled above the storm, beginning to drag the setter back on deck. His wrist started to hurt, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want whoever was saving him to panic and let go.

Suddenly, the water below him disappeared and was replaced by a sandy beach, and the yacht was shooting across it, and the thought from before rang through Suga's head: _We're going to die._

Thankfully, Suga was hauled back on deck just in time, as a tree that would have swept him away passed by.

He didn't have time to thank his hero as a looming cliff approached them, and he grabbed the other person and shoved them both to the ground, so they wouldn't hit their heads too hard when the inevitable collision occurred.

An almighty _crash_ resonated through Suga's ears, and he vaguely registered that there were people _screaming_ all around him before he was thrown off the yacht by a strong force and blacked out on the way down.

* * *

Blearily, Sugawara opened his eyes, wondering where he was and what just happened. Then it all came back to him in a rush, and he gasped and sat up too quickly, his wrist and hip both giving painful protests. Hissing in pain, he glanced down, and saw bruises blossoming on his left wrist. He could still move it, but it hurt. _I don't think it's broken, at least. Sprained, maybe?_

Then he saw blood on the bottom of his shirt and he panicked and quickly pulled it up, revealing a stinging cut on his hip. After closer inspection, he sighed with relief at the fact that it wasn't too deep, but still hurt like hell.

 _Who was that that saved me? I couldn't see their face properly – wait, surely they're somewhere near!_ Using his right hand to massage the cut on his hip, Suga impatiently waited for the pain to lessen to little more than a dull ache before he slowly got to his feet, glad that there were no injuries on his legs, meaning he could walk around.

"Hello?" He called. "Is anyone there?" He glanced up at the sky, and was shocked to find that the sun was halfway through its descent to below the horizon. _But we set off in the morning! How is it nearly evening already?! My God, how long was I knocked out for?!_

Suga frowned as a thought dawned on him: _Where am I?_ He didn't recognise the beach at all, and it looked like he might be on a small island of some sort. But which one?

When he turned, he felt his heart stop as he gazed in frozen horror at the sight of the yacht. The front of it had been smashed into the cliff, and he hoped that everyone at the front of the boat, especially Ukai considering the fact that he was the only adult with them, managed to get away in time so that no-one died. Just that thought alone made Suga feel sick. _What if we die here? What if no-one notices that we're gone?_

Suddenly feeling faint, Sugawara staggered over to a nearby tree, leaning heavily against it before slowly lowering himself to the ground. Resting his head back against the trunk of what looked like a palm tree, he closed his eyes and was about to drift off when he thought about the person who'd saved him. What if they needed help? They saved his life, so it was only fair if he returned the favour.

Taking a deep breath, Suga used the tree as support to slowly get to his feet, and scan the area for any sign of life. It seemed that even the birds had fled the area, though, and a deafening silence hit him, save for the creaking of the yacht which unnerved him.

"Can anyone hear me?" He yelled, as loud as he dared. "Daichi! Asahi! Anyone!"

The only reply was silence. Sighing in defeat, Suga made to start exploring the yacht when he heard a barely audible groan, not far from the boat. With a burst of adrenaline, the ashen haired setter leapt towards the source of the noise, hoping that whoever it was were alright.

It didn't take long for him to find the person, and saw that they were lying on a rock, holding their ribs.

"Narita?!" Sugawara exclaimed as soon as he recognised the person.

Narita glanced up, what was originally shock being replaced by relief flooding his features. "Suga," he sighed, "thank God you're okay. I thought I was gonna be too late on the deck."

Suga quickly put two and two together. "You mean that you were the one who saved me?" The second-year nodded, and the setter smiled. "Thank you so much. You saved my life."

Narita blushed slightly, shifting before wincing. Suga instantly lost his smile.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" _Stupid question_ ¸ he scolded himself, _he's obviously hurt his ribs or something._

"Uh…yeah, my ribs really hurt. I think I landed on this rock when the…when _it_ happened." Narita started shaking. "Oh my God; we're really shipwrecked, aren't we?"

Suga opened and closed his mouth. _That's right. We're shipwrecked, on an unfamiliar island, and no way of getting back except waiting for help. After all, I don't think we can swim back._

"Wait a minute…" Suga frowned and stood up, something had just dawned on him that he had never thought about. "Where's the storm?" The sky was clear again, with only a few fluffy clouds dotting the bright blue sky. The ocean was calm, and the sand wasn't even damp from the torrent of rain that had come down during the storm; it was as if the storm had never happened. The only thing that reminded them was their destroyed yacht and the fact that they were stranded.

"I wonder where it went…" Narita wondered aloud, wincing as he tried to stand.

"No, don't get up yet! You might make your ribs worse!" Suga cried.

The second-year waved him off. "I'll be fine. They just need wrapping is all."

"You sure?" The setter wasn't convinced, but he gave in. "Okay then. We'll need gauze, but that'll involve salvaging the yacht, and I somehow don't think it's safe to enter."

"What about those palm tree leaves?"

Suga stared at Narita as if he'd lost his mind.

"What? You could make sure they're clean, then just wrap them round me and use tree sap or something to hold it together."

Suga's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not sure…"

"Trust me. It'll work. Tree sap is sticky, right? Think of the leaves as sheets of paper, and the sap as glue. Although we may have to further into the island to find good sap."

"What do you mean 'we'? No, you're not going anywhere. You're staying here. It's too dangerous."

"It's more dangerous to go in alone." Narita argued.

"But-"

"Besides, you hurt your wrist. You could use the extra pair of hands."

"I-if you feel up to it…"

Narita smiled and nodded. "C'mon then."

* * *

Yamaguchi didn't know what to do when he woke up. As he opened his eyes, he found one of them hurt really badly, and half of the world was in darkness still. _Oh God I can only half see I'm blind I can't see out my right eye I'm gonna die-_

He didn't realise that his breathing had increased to a level that most would class as hyperventilating. He kept opening and closing his eyes, hoping that his right eye would just start working again. But it didn't. And that fact alone terrified him.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to focus on calming down, but bad thoughts were flooding his brain and he couldn't bear it. _I won't be able to play volleyball with one eye and I'll be even more useless and everyone's gonna hate me and abandon me and I'm gonna die-_

"Yamaguchi!" A voice rose above the thoughts, startling him. "Please, calm your breathing!" Slowly, he opened his eyes, seeing a blurry half of someone above him, which only made his breathing increase even more. He started flailing around, whimpering between wheezes that were his breaths.

And then hands clamped over his wrists, and his entire body went limp as his left eye focused on the person above him. It was Asahi, worry etched onto his features.

"Yamaguchi, you have to calm down. Deep breaths." The freckled teen obeyed, trying to take deeper breaths instead of the wheezing gasps he was doing now. "That's it! Keep going."

Once Yamaguchi's breathing was near normal, Asahi let go of his wrists and sat back, rubbing his ankle. "Are you okay?" The third-year asked.

"I-I can't see."

Asahi's expression turned horrified. "Wh-what? At all?!"

"N-no, it's just my right eye. I-I can't see anything out of it. What does it look like?"

Asahi bit his lip, as if unwilling to answer. After a while, he asked, "Were you…near a window, perchance?"

"Uh…yeah, I think so. Why?"

"It…" he swallowed nervously, "it looks like something…something went in your eye, and…"

"What?!" Yamaguchi's breathing started to increase again as he panicked. "Is it still there? Is it-"

"Whoa whoa, calm down. It's gone now, but…your eye's bleeding."

"I-it's disgusting, isn't it?" The pinch server looked down miserably.

"…" Asahi chose not to reply to the question. "If you want, I can find something to cover it. I was near a first aid kit when we…uh, crashed, so it can't be too far, right? I'm sure it has eye patches or something, right?"

"Y-yeah."

The ace nodded and stood up. "Stay here." He murmured as he started to search around them for a first aid kit. The pair were fairly near the yacht, so he didn't have far to go if he had to look inside of the boat.

Yamaguchi raised his right hand and gently touched his cheek, below his right eye. As he brought his hand away, he saw red and felt sick. He quickly shut his right eye, hiding it from Asahi and anyone else they might come across. _That reminds me! Where's Tsukki?_ He thought as he tried to remember where his friend had been. They'd split up, Yamaguchi going nearer to the front of the boat to help out with the windows that were worse there, and Tsukishima had gone the opposite way, towards the back of the boat. _I hope he's okay._

"Hello?" He faintly heard, as if the voice was just in earshot. "Is anyone there?" _Who's that?_

He opened his mouth to shout back when Asahi returned, carrying a dented first aid kit. It was open.

"Found it. It had been broken open by something, and most of the contents have gone, but the eye patch thingy was still there, thankfully." Asahi explained, showing Yamaguchi the item in question.

Asahi took it out its packet and read the instructions uncertainly.

"Aren't you scared?" Yamaguchi couldn't help asking.

He paused and looked at the first-year. "Terrified. I think I may need a new pair of underwear."

Yamaguchi laughed at this, before sitting still while Asahi began to wrap some sort of white gauze diagonally across his face, with what looked like a cloth or clump of gauze over his right eye.

It didn't take long for Asahi to finish, and when he did, he sat back and admired his handiwork. "That feel alright?" He asked.

The underclassman nodded, before frowning. "How's your ankle? Weren't you rubbing it or something earlier?"

"Oh, yeah, it hurt then, but it's fine now. Must've landed on it funny or something. Don't worry about it."

"Can anyone hear me?" There it was, the voice again! "Daichi! Asahi! Anyone!"

Asahi perked up at the mention of his name. "Was that…Suga?!" He stood up, only to stumble as his ankle throbbed.

Yamaguchi picked up on this. "You lied! Your ankle _does_ still hurt! Sit down; you're not walking until you're 100%!"

"But-"

"No buts!" His voice became softer. "Besides, if that was Sugawara, then he's still alive, and strong enough to be yelling, right? Have faith."

"I know, I know." Asahi sat down and chuckled. "You remind me of Suga, you know."

The pinch server smiled, but then it faded and he looked down again, sighing.

"What's the matter?" The third-year picked up on the sudden change of mood in his underclassman.

"It's just…I'm so worried about the others. I hope they're alright."

"Don't worry; they'll be fine. Our team is full of some of the most stubborn people I've ever met. Trust me; they're okay."

By the worst timing possible, Asahi's reassurance was all for naught as someone screamed loudly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima gets found by one of the people he didn't want to be stuck with the most, and has to be dragged out of the yacht.
> 
> Also, Ukai gets his life saved by someone, but they pay the ultimate price for their sacrifice...THIS CHAPTER HAS CHARACTER DEATH IN IT I'VE WARNED YOU NOW...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Tsukishima really had the worst luck.

First, he's more or less _forced_ to go on a boat trip with his noisy team, after Akiteru and his parents found out and claimed that it would be a 'great trip' and 'what could possibly go wrong'.

Then a storm comes out of nowhere, and he curses his family for jinxing the trip. _I mean seriously, it's a common known fact that whenever someone says 'what could possibly go wrong', something goes wrong, usually horribly, horribly wrong. Goddammit._

Next, he splits up with Yamaguchi, one of the few people on the team who he can stand (and also his best friend) and ends up being separated from him when the boat crashes.

When he comes to, he finds out that his left leg is slightly dislocated, and he's stuck on the floor until someone comes along to help him put in back into place.

Lastly, he's stuck with… _him_. _Dear God, what does life have against me?!_

Sighing for what felt like the umpteenth time, Tsukishima tapped his fingers against the floor – or rather, _wall_ – of the yacht. _Seriously, why did the stupid boat decide to turn on its side when it crashed?!_

There he was, casually minding his business while ignoring the pain in his dislocated leg when one of the people he didn't want to be stuck with the most comes wandering round the corner, sees him, and runs over, very nearly standing on Tsukishima's leg in the process.

"Tsukishima!" Hinata cried with delight.

Tsukishima, on the other hand, was far from delighted. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He muttered under his breath.

"I am so glad I found someone! I was _so_ scared and alone and-" he cut himself off, sniffling.

"Wait, what? You're _crying_? Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He said again, sighing once more.

"Meanie! I hit my head really hard and I think I broke my nose!"

Tsukishima nearly facepalmed. "You _think_ you _broke_ your _nose_?"

"Yeah, look!" Hinata shoved his head close to Tsukishima's face, where he noticed for the first time the crooked angle at which his nose was at, and the blood dripping down.

"Ew, you're getting your blood all over me; that's so gross." Was all the blonde said.

"So, is it broken?"

"Meh, probably."

"Probably?!"

"That's what I said."

"Oh my God! Fix it fix it fix it!"

"Is this seriously what I have to deal with?" Tsukishima asked the universe. Hinata, meanwhile, was still repeating the words 'fix it' like some sort of mantra.

"Fix it fix it fix it Tsukishima fix it Tsukki-"

"Don't call me Tsukki."

"Sorry."

"Shut up, Yama-" Tsukishima cut himself off, taking a deep breath through his nose. "Shut up, Hinata." _No, doesn't have the same ring to it._

"Anyway, please fix it."

"Fine. You want me to fix it? Come closer." Relieved that Tsukishima could help him, Hinata leant closer, only for the taller teen to grab his nose with one hand and quickly twist it, putting his nose back in the correct place. Roughly.

It was then that Hinata let loose an almighty scream of agony, clutching his -now fixed – nose. It was, in fact, the same scream that Asahi and Yamaguchi had heard.

"Owww! Why would you do that?!"

"I did what you asked me to."

Hinata huffed and turned to walk away, only to find Tsukishima still sitting there. "What are you doing? C'mon, we've gotta go before the boat collapses."

 _Is he seriously that oblivious?_ Tsukishima thought as he cleared his throat and indicated to his left leg.

"What did you do?! Let me fix it." Without leaving any room to object, Hinata knelt down beside Tsukishima, grabbed his leg, and slammed it back into the socket; all in the space of two seconds.

Tsukishima swore loudly in response, but at least his leg was properly back in its socket.

"There. You're rough with me, I'm rough with you. Fair."

"I should've seen that coming." He grumbled, testing his leg before attempting to get up, only to be given a heavy protest by both his leg and Hinata.

"Ahh! What are you doing?! You can't walk on that yet! You've got to give it _time_!"

"Well, you want to leave, so I kinda have to walk on it."

The short teen clucked his tongue. "I'll just have to drag you."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He was _not_ , under any circumstance, going to be _dragged_ by _Hinata_.

"Nope! C'mon, work with me here."

And so, with a reluctant grumble, Tsukishima raised his arms so Hinata could hook his arms under the taller teen's armpits, and began to drag him in the direction that would lead to the back of the boat.

"Oh, and before you ask why we're going this way, it's because when I woke up, I was right next to an exit…of sorts." Hinata explained.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "'Of sorts'? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, a part of the boat – I think it was the bottom of it or something – had completely fallen off, creating a hole. It's a bit bumpy, though, so it might hurt your leg."

He sighed. "I can take it."

"Good, because we're nearly there."

The two first-years soon came across the hole that Hinata had described. It looked like some sort of giant hand had tried to grab the bottom of the boat, instead only ripping away some of it. It was jagged and incredibly misshapen, and there were more than a few sharp edges that could snag their clothing or cut into their skin.

"Hold on, okay?" The shorter teen murmured, glancing behind him at the hole.

"I should be telling you that."

"Oh come on, can't you just say 'okay' or something instead of trying to start an argument?"

"I'm hardly starting an argument."

"See! Just say 'okay'." Hinata used his fingers to make air quotes around okay, which Tsukishima saw as a perfect opportunity.

"'Okay'." He air quoted just like the other teen, causing him to huff in annoyance.

With no further comment, Hinata began to drag Tsukishima over to the hole, mindful of where he put his foot.

"You know, I hope everyone's okay." The ginger murmured, mostly to himself.

The blonde grunted in response, caught up in his own worries. _The front half of the boat's completely wrecked; there's no chance in hell of getting this thing back in the water without it sinking like a stone. But Yamaguchi…he went to the front of the boat…I really hope he's okay._ Of course, he would never voice these thoughts aloud, lest he be teased by someone. As soon as he saw Yamaguchi, however, he would probably hug him or something, unable to control his actions.

He hissed as his left leg hit a piece of debris, earning a quick apology from Hinata. He waved it off. Before hissing again.

"Ah! Sorry-"

"No, not you. The sunlight; it's really bright."

"Oh right. Wait – the sunlight! We're out! Yeah!" Hinata cheered, nearly dropping Tsukishima.

"Mhm. Well done, congrats, yada yada yada. Meanwhile, my leg is still in there, and I think the cuff of my trousers is stuck on something."

The short teen understood the unspoken command, and gently lowered Tsukishima's upper half to the floor, while he walked over to his leg and searched for something that had caught his trousers. It didn't take him long to find a jagged piece of wood, used as extra support for the base of the boat, had snagged the blonde's trousers, nearly digging into his skin.

"Ah! I see it! Hang on, let me free you." The ginger grabbed the lowest part of Tsukishima's trousers and began tugging on it, before realising that he had to pull the _other_ way. So, then he set about pulling his trousers the opposite way, exposing the taller teen's ankle.

"Wait, what are you doing? No, don't pull it! You'll rip my trousers!" Tsukishima exclaimed, eyes widening.

"Don't worry, I've got it, it's nearly done."

"No, I'm being serious. You're actually going to rip my- oh, you've got to be kidding me." He sighed with irritation as the wood was ripped out of his trousers, at the expense of having his trouser leg ripped in a more or less straight line up to his upper thigh.

"You know, you've been saying that a lot."

"What?"

Hinata tried to imitate Tsukishima's voice. "'Oh, you've got to be kidding me'."

He shrugged. "Oh well. By the way, you owe me a new pair of trousers."

He looked down. "If we ever get back."

"What are you talking about? Of course we'll get back."

"But what if no-one comes? What if we're like, in the Bermuda Triangle or something, but a Japanese version-"

"There is no 'Japanese version' of the Bermuda Triangle. We're just on some sort of weird island, far from the mainland. That storm sent us a good few miles at least, so all we have to do is go in the right direction and-"

"'Go'? As in _swim_?! I-I can't swim!"

"Sure, we're going to _swim_ in an _ocean_ for a few dozen miles or whatever until we reach the mainland. _Sure_." He snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"But, what did you mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, like, build a raft or something."

"A _raft_?" Hinata echoed incredulously.

"Well, there's enough resources. Anyway, hurry up and drag me away from the yacht. I want to find someone else so I don't have to keep socialising with you."

"Meanie!" However, he complied and took up the same position that he'd done before, and started dragging Tsukishima fully out of the yacht. After this was accomplished, the short teen let go of him and sat down in the sand, mindful of the debris that littered the beach. Then he looked down, sniffling.

Tsukishima sighed. "Okay, what's bothering you now?"

Hinata also sighed. "It's just…I'm really, really scared right now. What if…what if we don't make it?"

He bit his lip. "Well, I'm sure we will. We have plenty of resources round us, right?" When this didn't seem to reassure the ginger, Tsukishima asked, "Have you ever read one of those stories about people getting stranded on islands, and they have to like, survive until someone rescues them?"

"One or two. They kinda scared me."

"Well, this is just like one of those stories. Except, it's real life. And instead of one or two people, it's fifteen. That means that there's more people to lend a hand. You're not alone, Hinata. We need to regroup with the others, and then we'll all get through this together."

Hinata smiled. "Wow, you sure can be nice at times."

"Shut up, Hinata."

He remembered Yamaguchi's response to that comment. "Sorry, Tsukki- uh, Tsukishima."

The blonde raised an eyebrow, and Hinata swore he saw a small curl of his lips, as if trying to keep down a smile as much as possible. "Anyway, we should start searching for the others."

Hinata shook his head. "You stay here. If I find anyone, I'll bring them to you, okay?"

Tsukishima nodded. "Fine." _Please find Yamaguchi,_ he added internally.

* * *

Coach Ukai knew from the moment he woke up that there was no way in hell of fixing the engine. As the boat had fast approached the island, he knew that there was no way he could turn it around. It was going to crash, and that was a fact. He had no choice but to flee from the room he was in, right at the front of the yacht. Since he was the only adult, it was important that he stay alive so he could look after the others. _The others!_

Gasping, he tried to stand up, only for pain to shoot up his right foot. With a surprised cry, he fell back down, clutching his foot. It was then that he noticed the blood surrounding his foot.

Carefully, he turned his foot over, revealing a large piece of glass protruding from the centre of his foot. Blood leaked freely from it, although it looked like it was slowing down. He knew he had to get the glass out, but he also knew that it would hurt like hell. _Damn,_ he thought as he clenched and unclenched his free hand. _No, it has to come out._

Taking a deep breath, Ukai gingerly grabbed the top of the glass, shivering at how cold it was. While inhaling, he made sure he had a firm grip on it. While exhaling, in one swift move, he yanked it out, glad that it come out in one piece but hating the flare of pain that shot up his leg.

Swearing under his breath, he threw the glass away, holding his foot. He cleared his throat, hoping no-one had heard him swear. Takeda would have his head if he heard about Ukai swearing.

"Hello?" He shouted. "Is everyone alright? Shout if you can hear me!" He got no reply, but a long, thick, metal support beam groaned and squealed overhead.

The thing that happened next as so quick that he hardly saw it.

The beam gave way, already unstable, but Ukai's yelling had caused it to completely break away, and headed straight towards the coach. It was falling at such a fast pace that he could only scuttle backwards a few inches and spread his legs as it moved to a vertical angle and came crashing down where his legs were a mere second before.

If only it was as simple as that.

In actual fact, Ukai only got that far away because something shoved him, a person who came flying out of nowhere and got him out of the way. As he was about to fall onto his back, his legs had spread reflexively to balance him, and time seemed to slow as the beam went straight through the chest of his saviour.

Ukai felt numb.

"N-no…" And then the realisation came crashing down upon him as he realised that one of his team had just sacrificed themselves to save him. "No!" He yelled, before quickly staring up, expecting something else to come crashing down. But it stayed still for him.

The person in front of him, who was formerly propping themselves up with their hands, collapsed on the floor, coughing weakly. Ukai got a good look at their face, and knew who it was.

"Wh-why…?" He stuttered, feeling the energy leave his body. "Why, Kinoshita?"

Kinoshita coughed again, and much to Ukai's horror, a spot of red hit the floor. "B-because you're-" he coughed again, "-you're my c-coach." His breaths had started to become desperate gasps.

"No no no no, just hold on! Stay with me, Kinoshita!" _There's no way I can lift the beam. Dammit, why would this happen?!_

"S-sorry…"

"No! Don't apologize! You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay…" But even as he said it, he didn't believe it. The beam had gone right through. There was no hope. But as Kinoshita's eyes began to slowly close, he desperately tried to save him. "Kinoshita! No, keep your eyes open! Hisashi! C'mon!" Struggling to his feet, the coach ignored the pain in his foot as he grabbed the beam and tried to lift it. But it was no use. It was just too heavy.

And then the wheezing gasps below him became silent.

Shaking, Ukai looked down, and saw that Kinoshita's eyes were closed, and his impaled chest was still. He didn't notice the tears that leaked out his eyes as he stared at Kinoshita's now lifeless body.

And then someone came running round the corner, took one look at the body, and promptly screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am such a horrible person, I know. I killed someone in the third chapter. I'm an absolute ass, but know this: Kinoshita Hisashi is (was?) one of my favourite characters. R.I.P.
> 
> And honestly, Tsukishima and Hinata is one of the most evil combos (especially on Tsukishima's end) for me to do – one of the reasons why I put them together. I am evil, after all.
> 
> Thanks for your comments, and see you soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ennoshita and Yachi find Ukai and...Kinoshita. 
> 
> Narita and Sugawara wrap the former's ribs and head back to the beach, where they find someone in the sand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Ennoshita considered it lucky that he'd survived the crash; and even luckier that he'd only got a massive bruise on his cheek and lost a few teeth. There were _far_ worse injuries he could have sustained.

His vision only tilted for a second as he got to his feet, to which he was relieved. He also found that he wasn't alone. In fact, he was in a large hallway, so he hoped that he'd find more than one person at least.

Beginning to walk down the hallway, he realised that there was no way of going back using the same way they came. The boat was, without a doubt, destroyed beyond repair. Debris littered the hallway, and he would have laughed at the fact that he was technically walking on the wall if the situation wasn't so serious.

He figured he was walking away from the front of the boat, to which he was glad. The second-year fretted that if he went too close, it might collapse and trap anyone else still inside the boat.

When he rounded the next corner, he had to bite back a scream of surprise as he crashed into Yachi, who seemed unharmed except for a fairly deep cut on her left forearm.

"E-Ennoshita!" She exclaimed, equally as surprised. "Y-your face!"

"Hello to you too, Yachi." He grumbled.

"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"

"Don't worry, I know what you meant. I may not be able to _see_ it, but I can sure as heck _feel_ the bruise."

She nodded shakily. "W-well, at least you're not too severely injured. Neither am I, so maybe that means that everyone else is okay as well?"

He sighed. "Honestly? I think we may just be ridiculously lucky."

"O-oh."

"Sorry! I'm such a downer sometimes."

The manager shrugged, before frowning. "Hey, did you see anyone on your way here?"

Ennoshita furrowed his brows before shaking his head. "No. What about you?"

She shook her head. "It's strange. I know the yacht's big, but it's not _that_ big, y'know? Surely we should have come across at least _one_ person."

 _I agree, it is strange,_ he thought as he glanced over his shoulder. _Where is everybody? It's so quiet as well. It's…unnerving._

"Anyway," she continued, "do you have any idea where we are?"

"No. I haven't been outside yet. I want to search for people trapped in here before I go out."

"How noble." She said, with traces of admiration in her voice.

He chuckled. "Come on; let's start looking." He turned and began walking back the way he came from, Yachi following close behind. _Maybe I just missed something,_ he thought as he tried to take in every little detail around him as he walked at a slow pace.

"Hello?" A sudden voice startled the pair, and they froze. "Is everyone alright? Shout if you can hear me!"

 _Is…is that Coach Ukai?_ Ennoshita wondered, hope rising in his chest.

But then there was a massive crash, and the hope that had formed left instantly.

Before he knew what was happening, Yachi was gone, sprinting as fast as she could towards the source of the noise, seemingly fearless. In actual fact, her worry and fear were the only things spurring her onwards.

The second-year only started moving when he heard desperate shouting – definitely from the coach. _I've got to go and help in any way I can,_ he decided, determination flashing in his eyes before being overshadowed by concern, and he ran after Yachi.

Ennoshita was nearly there when there was a sudden scream of horror, which was undeniably Yachi. He sped up, stumbling as he entered the room where Yachi had gone.

And the world stopped around him as he gazed at the sight of his friend.

 _No, it's just an illusion,_ he thought. _It's not real. My friend's_ not _hurt. My friend's_ not _bleeding out. My friend_ is _breathing. My friend is_ alive _, dammit!_

"No. No, no, no. It's not real; just an illusion. Kinoshita's alive and well, in another part of the boat – no, at home. He's safe and sound. It's not real; just an illusion." He repeated this over and over again, like a mantra, in a low murmur.

"Ennoshita…" Yachi stepped closer to him, but he ignored her. "You're just in shock; you need to calm down, okay?"

"No, nothing's okay. No, everything's okay. Yeah, that's right. Nothing and everything's okay." He giggled to himself, and Yachi wondered if he'd completely lost it.

She was horrified by the sight of Kinoshita's body, but at least she didn't react as bad as him.

Then Ukai spoke up, his voice loud and clear. "I hate to be this blunt with you, Ennoshita, but Kinoshita's gone! He's dead! You can't turn back time, so just accept it!"

The reality of the situation hit the second-year like a ton of bricks. _So…he really is…Kinoshita's…oh God._

He staggered forward, heading to his friend. Yachi followed him nervously, and Ukai bit his lip, desperately trying to conceal his tears.

Ennoshita's legs buckled when he stood next to Kinoshita. The reason for his demise, a long, thick metal beam, stuck out of his chest, piercing his heart as well as severely damaging his lungs. There was no chance in hell of getting him back now, even if he was still alive. The damage had been done, and it had been enough to be fatal.

He reached out, gently running his hand through his friend's hair. "I-I'm…so sorry-" his voice suddenly cracked and his throat closed up, overcome with emotion. Tears began to pour from his eyes, landing on the ground and some in Kinoshita's hair, then rolling down his face. Yachi started sniffling, and Ukai had to look away.

"It-it wasn't your fault. It was mine." The coach muttered, barely audible. "He pushed me out the way to save me. If I'd never shouted, or I'd just moved quicker, then-"

"Coach…" Yachi gave him a look of sympathy, before furiously rubbing her eyes.

They mourned for a good ten minutes, until Ennoshita finally stopped crying and raised his head. He didn't remove his hand, though, and kept stroking Kinoshita's hair.

"What…what do you want to do?" Ukai asked hesitantly, unsure of how the second-year would react.

"I…" Ennoshita trailed off. "I want to take him with us when we're rescued, but I'm not sure how long that'll be, and we don't have anything to carry him in. So, could we…could we bury him? And make a gravestone? Please?"

Ukai noted how he'd used 'when' instead of 'if' when he mentioned being rescued. He nodded in response to the second-year. "Of course. Could you two help me get rid of this beam?"

Yachi immediately placed both hands around the piece of metal, Ukai doing the same a little higher up. Ennoshita slowly got up, moving his hands from their position both in Kinoshita's hair and by his face, and putting them either side of the beam, although lower than Yachi.

"Okay, on three. One…two…three!" Ukai counted, before pulling the beam with all his might, wincing at the pain in his foot. Yachi flinched at the sting in her forearm, but still put her back into it. Ennoshita used all the energy in his body to help lift it – to free his friend.

With the strength of three people, they were able to lift it high enough so that there was about ten inches between the bottom of it and Kinoshita's back, before slowly moving it to the side with carefully placed steps.

"Left a bit more, keep it straight, that's it! Nearly there…and…let go!" Ukai ordered, and they all dropped it. However, before it fell to the ground in a random direction, the coach gave it an almighty shove, so it fell away from Kinoshita. "Thanks! Now-" He cut himself off as he realised that Ennoshita wasn't listening, having gone right back to kneeling beside his friend's body, stroking his hair again.

Ukai smiled gently and let him be. _I'm sorry, Ennoshita. I'm sorry, Kinoshita. I hope you can both forgive me._

* * *

Narita tried to mask as much pain as possible as he trailed after Sugawara, through the humid jungle. His ribs really hurt, and he wished they would just find some strong tree sap and leaves that weren't crawling with little insects.

Sugawara glanced back at him for the umpteenth time. "Are you alright, Narita?" He said for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, I'm fine." He replied through gritted teeth, for the umpteenth time. He was getting – no, already was – sick of this little exchange. He knew that Suga was just worried, but Narita would let him know if he could no longer go on.

"Ah! Perfect!" The setter suddenly exclaimed, stopping before a large tree with huge leaves on stalks dotting the floor around it. He immediately set to work, ripping the leaves off that didn't have insects on them, and must've took a dozen before he deemed it enough.

"Uh, Suga?" Narita called, leaning against a nearby tree and resisting the urge to wrap an arm round his ribs. "I don't think you should start putting them together until they're washed."

He nodded, but then frowned. "You're right, but I can't wash them with sea water. Oh, but I'm sure there's a little river or a reservoir somewhere!" With that, the pair set off again.

After about ten minutes, as if by a stroke of luck, they heard the sound of flowing water, and rushed towards the noise.

As they came round a bend, they sighed in relief as they saw a small waterfall, and a river running below it.

"Yeah!" Suga cheered, kneeling by the bank, near the base of the waterfall. "Just hang on a little longer, okay, Narita? I won't be long."

He sighed and slowly got down to the floor, leaning back against the trunk of a tree. The sky was starting to darken, and he hoped that they got back to the beach before nightfall. The only source of light the second-year had was the torch on his half-charged phone…!

Narita gasped, instantly regretting it as his ribs protested, and reached into the inner pocket of his jacket that had luckily survived the crash with him, and nearly died from relief as he pulled out his slightly wet, cracked but working phone. As the screen lit up, he realised that the battery had gone down to 5%, but still worked.

"S-Suga! My phone! It's still working!" He exclaimed. "Hang on; let me try and call someone."

It was then that his heart fell, and all the energy seemed to leave his body, as the top left corner of his phone read 'no service'. "Damn…" He shut it down, trying to preserve what little battery it had left in case he could get service in a different part of the island.

Putting it back in his pocket, he called, "Never mind. No service."

Suga glanced back, having already washed eight of the leaves, and sighed, before brightening. "Don't worry; I'm sure someone'll rescue us. We've just got to hang tight, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Have you done yet?"

"Nearly! Four more to go, then we'll go back to that tree and get some tree sap so I can wrap your ribs. They must hurt more than before."

"Uh…yeah, kinda." Narita grimaced as his ribs agreed him with him, and he snaked an arm round his chest, wincing.

 _I wonder how everyone's doing. I hope they're alright._ He sighed and closed his eyes, and must have drifted off, because when he next opened them, he was being carried on Sugawara's back, the leaves sandwiched between his chest and Suga' back.

"Wha-? Huh?" He mumbled, confused. _I thought I was sat down? How did I get here?_

"Hmm? Oh, you're awake! Great! You fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake you. You seemed so exhausted, I thought the rest would be good for you. Can you walk?"

"Yeah – wait, your wrist! Why are you carrying me with that wrist of yours?! You shouldn't have even been washing those leaves!"

"Whoa, calm down!" Suga let him down off his back, before turning to him and showing his wrist. It was bruised and slightly swollen, but didn't look broken. "I think it's just a minor sprain or something, so as long as I don't overexert it, I'll be fine."

"But you've been overexerting it by helping me! In fact, you've been overexerting _yourself_ by hel-"

"Now, don't go saying things like that." He changed the topic quickly before an argument could happen. "Anyway, you have great timing. We're back at the tree from earlier."

"So I only slept for about ten minutes?" Suga nodded. "No wonder I still feel tired." Narita groaned.

"We'll have to do everything here, 'cause I don't have anything to carry the tree sap in. Can you take your shirt off, or do you need me to help you?"

"I can do it, I can do it." Narita waved the third-year off, taking off his jacket as quickly as he could. As he grabbed the base of his shirt and began to lift it up, he found that this simple task was incredibly painful, and he had to stop a few times.

Eventually, he'd gotten his shirt off, and Suga wasted no time in grabbing the first leaf and holding it against the second-year's chest.

The process of binding the leaves together with the tree sap took a lot longer than expected, and the sun was beginning to kiss the horizon when Sugawara had finished wrapping Narita's ribs. Unsurprisingly, only half of the leaves were exactly used.

As he went to put his shirt on, Suga nearly smacked him as he leapt at him to stop him from moving. "No! Don't move! I'll put your shirt on – _don't move_."

Sighing, he let the third-year dress him, and couldn't help thinking how Suga reminded him of his mother. He quickly shook that thought away. The feeling of fabric rubbing against leaves – of _leaves_ rubbing against his _skin –_ made Narita feel uncomfortable. He didn't voice this, though.

"There! Done." Suga stretched his arms above his head. "Come on; let's head back to the beach. I'm sure everyone's out there, waiting for us."

After a short while of walking, Narita felt uncomfortable for another reason. "Hey, Suga." He called. "Don't you find it weird how we haven't seen any animals yet? Except the insects and occasional bird flying overhead, of course. I mean, this is a jungle, right? So surely there's a variety of animals?"

Sugawara hummed in agreement. "I've noticed it too. Maybe they were scared away by the noise the boat made when it crashed? Anyway, I'd rather not run into a jaguar who thinks I'm its next meal."

Narita chuckled. "I don't think anyone wants that, to be honest."

Suga smiled, and gasped as he saw something. "Look! It's the beach! We're back!"

The pair quickened their pace until they broke the treeline, and felt warm sand underneath their feet. They had a good view of the back of the yacht, and spotted someone near it.

"Is that…" Narita trailed off, breaking into a run as he dashed towards the person sat down, looking around themselves. "Tsukishima!" He yelled, once he'd got to him.

Tsukishima turned round, first in surprise, then in relief (but still with underlying surprise) as he saw the second-year, with Suga not far behind.

"Narita! Sugawara!" He exclaimed, nodding his head in greeting. That was all he could say, however, as Suga cut off any comment he would've added.

"Tsukishima! Thank _God_ you're okay! Wait, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just…can't walk on my leg yet. Doctor Hinata's orders."

"Hinata? Where is he? Is he hurt?" Suga bit his lip anxiously.

"He's fine. He just broke his nose, so…I fixed it. And he's looking for the others. I haven't seen anyone else. I think I was about to die of boredom here."

"I think I can hear someone's voice faintly – I think it's Hinata's." Narita glanced at the direction that would lead to the side of the boat that faced the sea.

"Don't even _think_ about going over to check it out." Suga said in a threatening tone. "Or so help me…" He took a deep breath and cut off his sentence, before simply saying, "Sit next to Tsukishima and _don't move_. I'll be back."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" The first-year asked.

"His ribs are broken." The setter replied.

" _Might_ be broken," Narita corrected, "they just hurt is all. Anyway, they're wrapped up, so-" But his argument was in vain as Suga had already turned and walked away, leaving the second-year to sigh and Tsukishima to snigger under his breath.

A loud crash startled all three of them, and Suga quickly disappeared around the corner, leaving Tsukishima and Narita to wonder what happened.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata leaves Tsukishima to search for anyone else, and faces a few difficulties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys, not much to say except I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I'm not sure how long this'll be, but it's probably gonna be long.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Once Hinata left Tsukishima, his smile faded. _It's too quiet,_ he thought miserably, _I don't think anyone's actually ali-_

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, wincing at the sting in his nose as he rounded the corner to face the side of the boat, that was exposed to the sea. _I can't think like that. They're all fine. They're-_

" _Hinata_?!" A voice exclaimed, mostly in surprise.

He felt his heart stop for a moment, knowing instantly who's voice that was. But that was impossible. He can't just…come across him. There's no way it was him…

"K-Kageyama…" Hinata couldn't help whispering, before hope was restored. "Kageyama! Is that you? Where are you?"

"I'm up here!" Came the reply, soon followed by a hacking cough.

Wildly looking round, the first-year soon spotted a flash of raven hair from a broken window, and he charged to the spot under it. "Kageyama! I'm here now! Wait- why are you even up there?"

The setter stuck his head out of the hole in the broken window, glaring at Hinata. But the short teen saw how pale he was, and instantly worried.

"Dumbass!" Kageyama yelled, voice sounding scratchy and slightly hoarse. "As if I _want_ to be up here!"

"Oh, right." Hinata felt himself blush at how stupid he sounded. "Hey, is anyone up there with you?"

His question was answered when someone else leant out the window. "Hinata!" Kiyoko called, relieved. "Thank God you're okay- wait, is that blood on your face?"

"Oh! Yeah, but don't worry about it!" He rubbed his nose with the back of the sleeve of his jumper, hissing in pain. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so! Except, my knee really hurts…but I'm sure it'll be fine!" She replied, before glancing at Kageyama. "Kageyama, on the other hand…he seems to have caught some sort of cold."

"What?! Dammit Kageyama, why would you catch one _now_ of all times?!"

"I can't help it!" The other first-year yelled back, coughing a few times.

"You must've caught it from being in those wet clothes all this time." Hinata heard Kiyoko murmur in a low voice. "I'm surprised you didn't get hypothermia or something."

"Don't jinx it!" Kageyama cried, before sighing.

"How do I get up to you?" Hinata called.

"I'm not sure!" The manager replied, biting her lip. "It's too risky to send him in from the inside, and I can't walk…" she muttered to herself before getting an idea. "Hinata!" She caught his attention. "Is there any way you can climb up from the outside, or make some sort of ladder?"

"Uh…" The first-year studied the side of the boat, which had turned on its side during the crash. _It doesn't seem to be as tilted this side, actually. But still, I'm facing the bottom of the boat,_ he thought as he placed a hand on the bottom of the boat. He couldn't supress a shiver of disgust as he noticed that it was still wet, and slimy from algae and seaweed.

He furrowed his brows as he realised that there were many dents and cracks in the underside of the boat that would possibly be enough for him to use to climb. But then there was the matter of once he got onto the side of the boat, what could he use then to climb? Broken windows were out of the question – he couldn't get hurt, because he was on a mini rescue mission. He couldn't afford to mess up.

"Uh…" He repeated, biting his lip. Could he risk the climb? Or should he try and make a ladder, like Kiyoko had suggested? "Let me see if I can find some stuff first!" _Great,_ he mentally chided himself, _'cause_ that's _totally reassuring. 'Stuff'? Seriously?_

Sighing, he glanced around, noting how sand and water really didn't help towards making a ladder. The light waves would make it unsteady, and the uneven sand would make it tilt. But he had to try.

To his surprise, he found a part of the underside which had caved in, creating a small gap that he was sure he could fit through. If he squinted through it, he could vaguely make out what looked like boxes, implying that it might be the supplies room or something.

As soon as he placed one hand through the gap, he heard Kageyama's voice. "Oi! What are you doing down there?"

"Relax; I know what I'm doing!" Hinata replied as he shuffled forward on his hands and knees.

"Why are you going _into_ the death boat? Get out and stay out! I'm sure there's something along the coast-" He was interrupted by a deep hacking cough that increased the pain in his sore throat.

"Don't worry; I got this!" With that, he crawled into the bottom of the boat which was indeed the supplies room. He supressed a giggle of excitement and a tremble of fear at the same time as his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark room. The only light that filtered into the room was the tiny, dying beams of sunlight that emerged through the gap.

"Cool!" He squeaked in delight as he spotted rows of sturdy-looking boxes and wooden crates. They would definitely come in handy. But the thing that he found best was the large, rectangular piece of fabric on the floor, neatly folded in the corner. Although slightly damp around the edges, it was good enough for use, and could be used with helping Kageyama and Kiyoko down.

Quick-walking over to it, he recalled what his fellow first-year had said: ' _Why are you going_ into _the death boat?'._ He chuckled for a moment at the fact that he now referred to their former mode of transport as a 'death boat' – yet no-one had died, had they? Everyone was still okay. But the statement did hold an air of truth to it. Because of the boat, they were stranded on this unfamiliar island-

Hinata shook his head to clear the thought. _No, that's not true at all. It was the_ storm's _fault,_ he corrected himself as he bent down to pick up the fabric. It was a dark colour, that he could tell in the dim light, and it felt kind of firm, like a cloth.

 _Now, if I can drag four or six boxes or crates out of that gap, then it should all work._ Then he frowned as he gazed back at the gap. _But can they actually fit through? If I make it any bigger, the boat might collapse._

Eyes hardening with determination, the first-year walked back over to the gap, laying the fabric down by the side of it. Once he'd done this, he studied the nearest box. Although a little damp, it was still sturdy enough, and he thanked God that it wasn't cardboard.

Forcing his fingers under the box, he attempted to lift it, only to find it much higher than he'd initially thought it to be. So he had no choice but to push it.

Stepping over it, Hinata crouched down and used all the remaining energy in his body to push the box towards the gap as quickly as he could. It didn't take long, luckily, but then he was faced with the task of trying to get it through the gap.

After a few failed attempts, the first-year yelled in frustration and rammed the box into the gap, successfully expanding it and causing the box to all but fly through. However, this also caused a large crack to run up the bottom of the boat, and a massive chunk of it fell in on itself.

Hinata thanked his reflexes as he dove out of the way, just as a massive crash echoed around the beach.

After a minute or so, he deemed it safe to peek out of his hiding place - which was behind a wall of crates - and found a huge, gaping hole in the underside of the boat. _Well, at least it'll be easier to move the stuff now,_ he thought as he stood up.

"Hey!" Hinata frowned at the sudden voice. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"S-Sugawara!" He cried, running through the hole to stare at the ashen haired setter.

"Hinata! Are you alright?" The third-year embraced him, and he couldn't help but relax into Sugawara's arms.

"I'm fine." He murmured, closing his eyes. "Are you?"

"Yeah." He broke the hug, placing both hands on Hinata's shoulders and failing to hide a wince from his wrist. "What _happened_? I was walking round here, when all of a sudden there was this almighty crash! I thought someone was going to _di_ \- I mean, uh…yeah!"

"I was just moving a box to help get Kageyama and Kiyoko down, when I kinda broke the boat even more than it already is…"

Suga frowned at this new information, hands falling to his sides. "Where are they?"

Hinata pointed to the broken window where Kageyama was sticking his head out, frantically searching for the other first-year. His nose was red, and his eyes were slightly watery, as if he'd just been coughing.

"Kageyama!" The third-year called. "Kiyoko! Are you two alright?"

Kiyoko poked her head, eyes brightening slightly as she saw Suga. "My knee really hurts, and Kageyama's got a cold, but other than that, we're fine! What about you – and Hinata! How is he?"

"He's okay, as am I!"

"No, you're not!" Hinata objected, pointing to his wrist. "You've hurt your wrist!"

"It's fine." Sugawara replied. "Anyway, we have to work on getting those two down."

Without leaving any space for another protest from the first-year, he walked into the hole and over to a large, square crate. He attempted to pick it up, only to yelp in pain and surprise and shoot up, clutching his wrist.

"Suga!" The ginger rushed over, concern etched onto his features. "I _told_ you you're hurt! You shouldn't help me with this!"

"But I want to help!"

Hinata bit his lip for a moment. "Well, I suppose you could help me push the stuff out – but only with your other hand. Don't use your bad wrist."

Sugawara sighed and nodded. "Alright."

With that decided, the two teens spent the next ten minutes at least dragging two boxes and two crates out from the boat, along with the fabric that Hinata had found before.

They then proceeded to stack the lighter crates onto the heavy boxes, making sure to lay the fabric out across first, to form a rough sort of trampoline, except one that the person would fall onto and then bounce straight off. At least if was sand and not concrete, though.

"Okay, done! Kageyama! Are you coming down first, or is Kiyoko?" Suga called up.

"Uh…Kiyoko can." The first-year replied, getting up, although his voice wavered a bit.

Nodding her gratitude, the manager, with the help of Kageyama, limped right up close to the window, and peered down at the makeshift rescue 'trampoline'.

"Are you sure it's safe?" She asked.

"Well, it's better than just jumping down." Sugawara replied, and she nodded.

Gingerly, Kiyoko placed her good foot out of the window, ignoring the small cuts she got from the glass. Taking a deep breath, she switched from using Kageyama as support to using the window frame and the outside wall of the boat. Stifling a whimper of pain, she stared at the fabric, trapped between a box and a crate on each end and once again wondered if it was actually safe.

Hinata caught onto her unsure stare and grinned encouragingly at her. "Don't worry, Kiyoko! It's 100% safe, and if you're scared, we'll catch you! Promise!"

She bit her lip, but nodded afterwards. "Okay." With that, she leaned forward and let go of the boat, allowing herself to fall onto the fabric, which acted like a spring of sorts. Once it dipped down from the sudden weight, it shot back up, bouncing her a metre or so into the air before she headed towards the sand.

True to Hinata's word, he predicted where she would fall and spread his arms out to catch her, mindful of her knee. Unfortunately, he was a bit too far forward, and ended up being crushed as Kiyoko collided with his chest and sent him sprawling onto the floor.

"Ah! Are you alright, Hinata?! I'm so sorry!" She cried, struggling to get off him what with her knee.

"I-I'm fine!" He stuttered, squirming on the floor as what he presumed to be a rock dug into his back. However, when Suga helped Kiyoko off him, he realised that it was not a rock, as it pinched him. Hard.

Yelping in surprise more than pain, the first-year shot up, feeling a little weight on the back of his jumper, and frantically tried to twist his neck enough to see what it was. When he got a good luck at it, he screeched.

"Ah! A crab! Get it off get it off get it off get it-"

"Hinata! Clam down!" Suga realised his mistake at saying 'clam' instead of 'calm' instantly.

"C-clam?! There's a clam?! Ah! Get it off get it off get-"

"Don't move! They can shell your distress!" Kageyama called out the window, struggling to keep in a laugh as he used 'shell' instead of 'smell', knowing that the fact wasn't true anyway.

"Sh-shells too? Like, hermit crabs?! Ahhh! Oh my God oh my God oh my God get them off get them off get them off-"

" _Shoyo_!" Suga yelled, effectively silencing the first-year. "It's just a crab, alright? There's no clams or shells or hermit crabs or whatever else you can think of! Keep still and I'll get it off." He laid Kiyoko down in the sand gently and marched over to Hinata's back, before grabbing the crab and swiftly yanking it off his jumper. He quickly flicked it away from them, where it scuttled away.

"Is it gone?" Hinata nervously asked.

"Yes, it's gone. Now, stand up. We need to get Kageyama down as well." The setter helped the shorter teen to his feet, and looked up at the window. "Kageyama! You can come down now!"

He got no response.

"Kageyama?" Suga frowned, as did Hinata.

Still no reply.

"Oi, Kageyama! You haven't passed out, have you? C'mon, that's just ridiculous! It's just a cold, you can't possibly _pass out_ from it!" Hinata called, smirking when he heard a faint 'dumbass'.

"I-I don't want to." Kageyama finally said.

"Don't want to what?" Suga asked.

"Don't…don't want to jump down…" The other setter still hadn't shown his face, and Hinata assumed that he was blushing furiously at saying the next thing. "I-I'm s-scared…"

"You?" The ginger looked incredulous. "You who tried to kill me many times, especially when I hit you with my serve? You who's the genius setter? You who loves drinking milk? How can you be scared?"

"What does drinking milk have to do with anything?" Kageyama asked, mostly to himself. "And…and so what if I'm scared? I'm sure _you're_ scared of loads more things than me! Hell, you're scared of playing official _matches_ , and you're surprised that I'm scared of jumping out of the death boat, onto something that _you've_ built and then you're supposed to _catch_ me?"

"'Death boat'?" Suga echoed in confusion, earning a shrug from Kiyoko, who'd never asked the first-year about his choice of words.

"Why don't you trust me?" Hinata tilted his head to the side.

This made the setter stick his head out of the window. "Well, you're not the most trustworthy of people."

The ginger clenched his fists. "You trust me on the court! You trust me to spike the ball that you send my way, don't you? So why don't you trust me here, when our lives are at stake?!" By this point, he was shouting, and the groans of the boat unnerved him, but he ignored it.

"Look at what happened to Kiyoko! I'm taller than her, and you couldn't catch her properly, so what chance do _I_ have?! You'll probably drop me, or hurt yourself-"

" _Tobio_!" Hinata yelled, cutting him off. "I won't drop you! I won't get hurt, either! Just trust me!"

Kageyama coughed into his arm twice. "How do I know that I can believe what you say?"

The shorter teen smiled softly. "Because I promise."

"But-"

"And I won't break that promise."

"But what if you do break it?"

"Then…then I'll swim back home."

Kageyama frowned. "But I thought you couldn't swim?"

"I can't."

"So, essentially what you're saying is that if you break your promise, then you'll try and swim when you can't, and drown?"

Hinata nodded. "Yeah."

"That's really dumb."

"That's how committed I am to keeping this promise."

"It's still really dumb."

The ginger shrugged.

"But…alright. If you ensure my – and your – safety, then I'll jump and get out of this godforsaken death boat."

"Great! C'mon then; I'll catch you. You don't have to be afraid." Hinata beamed.

"Actually," Suga spoke up, "he has every right to be afraid. We're all scared out of our wits, because the fact of the matter is that we're stranded on a strange island with no way of getting back. This situation that we're in is scary. If anyone out there's on their own, then I feel especially bad for them. But we have each other here, so we can comfort each other, even if we're all still afraid. That's the thing about fear. If you fear something, you can't overcome it by yourself. However, if you're with friends or family, then you can overcome it. Kageyama fears doing something, but Hinata, you convinced him that everything would be alright. So, now he can jump and he won't be as scared, because the fear was mostly overcome because he had someone to help him."

The group was silent after that, before stars appeared in Hinata's eyes. "So cool!" He squeaked, before turning back to Kageyama. "I second everything that Sugawara just said! So, come on down!"

Nodding, the first-year coughed again, rubbed his nose, and began to crawl out of the window, before swallowing nervously and letting himself fall.

Bouncing off the fabric, Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut as he headed towards the ground, and refused to open them until he felt arms under him, holding him in bridal style.

"Oof! Don't worry, I've got you!" Hinata grinned as the setter opened his eyes to see himself inches off the ground, with Hinata squatting to support the added weight and not drop him.

"Th-thanks." He breathed, struggling to his feet as his fellow first-year let go of him.

"Alright guys, let's head back and regroup with Narita and Tsukishima." Sugawara clapped his hands as best he could with one round Kiyoko's waist and the other keeping her arm over his shoulder.

"Narita? Tsukishima? Are they okay?" Kiyoko asked.

"Well, Narita hurt his ribs, but we've taken care of it. And-" Suga replied.

"And Tsukishima dislocated his leg, but I fixed it for him! He can't walk on it yet, though." Hinata interrupted.

"Okay. Let's go, then." She smiled, and the four of them slowly headed back round the boat.

As soon as the two spotted them, they waved them over, Narita wincing as he did so. They picked up the pace as much as they could until they reached them, and then they all but collapsed onto the ground.

"Hey, guys." Kiyoko greeted, rubbing her knee with her fingers.

"Tsukishima! You should've seen it! Kageyama was really scared, and I helped him!" Hinata boasted, although it had the wrong effect.

"Dumbass! Don't tell him that!" Kageyama punched him on the top of his head, but it was too late.

"What? The King got scared?" Tsukishima smiled in a way that made the other first-years know that they would never hear the end of this.

"No! I was not scar-" A loud sneeze cut him off, followed by a small coughing fit.

"Oh? So, not only is the King scared, but he's also sick?" Tsukishima chuckled into his hand, but his smile was wiped from his face as Kageyama grabbed the bottom of his shirt and used it as a tissue for his runny nose. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." The taller teen growled as he looked down at his now wet shirt. "That is just disgusting."

Suga laughed, before gasping. "Oh, we forgot to dismantle the ladder- no, uh…what would you call it?"

Kiyoko laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. How much harm could it do, anyway?"

"Besides, you wouldn't be going anywhere even if you _had_ to dismantle whatever you're on about." Narita added, indicating to his wrist, which was more swollen now.

Hinata gazed up at the darkening sky, noting how the stars were beginning to emerge. "I hope everyone's okay."

"I think everyone hopes that, Hinata." Suga replied, before spotting a shooting star. "I wish the others would come here soon. In fact, I wish someone, even if it's just one person, would come out of nowhere and start heading towards us right now."

"You know that the whole 'wishing upon a shooting star' thing doesn't usually work, right?" Tsukishima glanced at the third-year, who sighed and was about to reply when he was cut off.

" _Guys!_ " They all looked over to the spot where two people were heading over. One was limping, but the other, who was smaller, was helping them along.

Kageyama wore an extremely smug expression. "You were saying, Tsukishima?" To which Tsukishima merely grumbled something inaudible, but his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open when he saw who was walking towards them.

It was Asahi and Yamaguchi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yet another cliffhanger! 'Cause I'm mean. And finally, they're actually starting to regroup! And I couldn't keep Tsukishima and Yamaguchi apart for too long. But how do you think Tsukishima will react to Yamaguchi's eyes injury? Just something for you to think about…
> 
> Don't forget to comment!
> 
> Bye~


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asahi and Yamaguchi join the group on the beach, and Yamaguchi refuses to tell Tsukishima about what happened to his eye. After a brief reunion, the group decide to send Yamaguchi and Hinata, the only able-bodied people (if that's safe to say) out to search for the others.
> 
> Daichi wakes up and finds Tanaka, who is suffering from a definite concussion. It only gets worse as they find out something serious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for your comments! They mean a lot to me!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Tsukishima felt his heart skip a beat as he realised that it was Asahi and Yamaguchi walking towards them. _Yamaguchi_ and Asahi _walking_ towards _them_. He couldn't believe it. Did it mean that neither was really badly hurt? And since his friend seemed to be supporting Asahi, he presumed that Yamaguchi wasn't that injured.

But then they came close enough, and he felt his heart stop altogether as he caught sight of the bandage covering Yamaguchi's entire right eye.

Tsukishima tried to get up, only to be pushed down by Suga's hands on his shoulders. But he had to get up. He had to go to Yamaguchi because he was so _scared_ by the mere thought of losing him, and he had to hold him, had to _touch_ him, just to make sure that he wasn't dreaming and that his best friend was alright, that he was _okay_ , and suddenly he's shoving Suga out of the way and desperately getting to his feet, cursing anyone that tried to stop him, cursing his leg for protesting the movement, curing the entire goddam _trip-_

-and then Yamaguchi's handing Asahi over to Kiyoko and running over to him, and he all but _leaps_ into him and hugs him so closely-

-and the tears start falling – no, _flooding_ \- from Tsukishima's eyes as he wraps his arms around Yamaguchi and brings him so close that he can feel the other's heartbeat pounding in his chest.

"Tsukki-" His friend began, but he cut him off.

"Kei."

"What?"

"Kei. Please, call me Kei." He tightened the embrace even more, burying his face into the top of Yamaguchi's hair.

Yamaguchi doesn't hesitate for a second. "K-Kei! Thank God you're okay! I was so scared!"

"So was I, Tadashi." Tsukishima lowered his voice to a quiet murmur. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Same here!" The freckled teen cried, burying his face into the blonde's chest and ignoring the sting that came from his bandaged eye. "I'm so glad you're okay! I-I don't know what I would do without you! You're my best friend and I won't – I _can't –_ live without you!"

"I feel the same. If you died…I'd probably join you."

He knew it was a reckless thing to say when Yamaguchi tensed. "Please don't say stuff like that, Tsu- _Kei_."

"I can't help it! I can't imagine what would happen if I lost you-"

"Sh-shut up, Kei."

Tsukishima was surprised at first, but instantly replaced it with a smile. "Sorry, Tadashi."

They stayed like that for a couple more minutes, and Tsukishima would have stayed there for hours except the fact that his leg was really starting to burn and what was originally whimpers of happiness as Yamaguchi cried turned into whimpers of pain.

The taller teen quickly broke the hug and frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

Yamaguchi shook his head, but instantly regretted it as he clutched his right eye. "N-nothing, I'm fine."

"Don't lie. You're obviously in pain. What happened to your eye?"

The freckled teen tensed and went silent. Tsukishima, at a loss for what to do, glanced around him, only noticing then that everyone was watching him and his friend.

It was Asahi that filled the silence first. "Y-you don't want to look, Tsukishima. Give him time, alright?" The third-year's tone was gentle as always, but had an underlying warning in it.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow but didn't press any further. _He'll tell me in his own time,_ he thought, _but still…it must be pretty serious if he doesn't want to even_ tell _me about it._

He hissed in pain as his leg suddenly buckled, and he instinctively reached out for the nearest thing to hold onto – which just so happened to be Yamaguchi, who was too surprised to act as a sturdy object, and thus fell with Tsukishima.

Kageyama burst out laughing, Hinata doing the same but still staring at them in concern. Asahi squeaked in fright, thinking that they'd seriously injured themselves by falling over, while Kiyoko and Suga chuckled under their breath. The latter was about to check if the pair were okay, but Narita beat him to it.

"Hey! Are you two okay?!" He asked as he hurried over, albeit hunched over, making him look very strange indeed.

" _Narita! What_ is your obsession with _moving_ while you're _hurt_?!" Suga screeched, alternating between looking angry and looking worried.

The second-year rolled his eyes in response and knelt beside the pair of fallen first-years. "That was quite the fall, y'know. You could've really hut yourselves."

"Don't ignore me! _Or_ roll your eyes at me!" The ashen-haired setter started walking forward. "Look at me, Narita!"

When Narita glanced over his shoulder, he had to bite back both a gasp and a laugh at the sight of Suga's face. He looked furious and concerned at the sight time, and the two expressions conflicted against one another to form some sort of strange, new expression. How the third-year's face didn't hurt, Narita didn't know. It was both terrifying and hilarious at the same time.

"Uh…sorry, Suga." He laughed nervously. He spared a quick, questioning glance at the pair of first-years.

"Don't worry. I- _we're_ fine." Tsukishima corrected, after briefly checking Yamaguchi over.

"Tsukishima, I _told_ you not to walk on your leg yet!" Hinata whined. "Why do you never listen to me?"

Yamaguchi frowned at them both but made no comment. Suga patted Narita's head as if to say 'I'm only messing with you' and walked back to Kiyoko and Asahi, the latter of which was slowly helping Kiyoko to the floor.

"So, Asahi, I'm curious. How did you find us?" Sugawara asked once he sat beside the manager.

"Well, Yamaguchi and I heard voices, so I said that I'd check it out, but Yamaguchi claimed that 'I wasn't to walk on my own yet; not with that ankle!'." He chuckled. "Sometimes that boy really does remind me of you, Suga."

"'That boy'?" Kiyoko echoed with barely concealed amusement. "You make yourself sound like an adult."

Asahi's eyes widened. "Ah! N-no, I didn't mean it like that! I just…uh…I-"

"I was only messing about, don't worry about it." She interrupted.

"R-right. I knew that." The ace smiled weakly, before sighing miserably. "I wonder where everyone else is…"

"Well, any able-bodied people will go search for them." Suga declared, about to stand up before halting at the warning glare Narita shot at him. "What? Just because my wrist hurts, it doesn't mean that I can't walk."

"Don't you dare." Narita spoke slowly, an obvious threat in his voice.

"Narita, I…I have to." The third-year took a deep breath. "Daichi…and Coach Ukai…they're still in there. Not to mention Ennoshita and the others. I can't sit here doing nothing while everyone's searching for each other. I'm the vice-captain. I should-"

"Yes, but that's in volleyball. This isn't some sort of volleyball match. This is real life. It's _survival_. And even though it may just be your wrist, it still needs to heal. You can't save people if you can't use both your hands." Narita argued strongly, causing Sugawara to bite his lip before hanging his head in defeat.

"Fine. But you're not going."

Narita chuckled softly. "No, I don't suppose you would let me anyway."

"I can go! I'll go round everyone up!" Hinata spoke up excitedly. "My face only hurts, so I should be okay!"

"I'll go as well." Yamaguchi agreed, standing up.

Tsukishima stared at him. "No way. You can't possibly see past all those bandages, meaning you can only half see. What if something suddenly falls?"

The pinch server flinched at his response, which did not go unnoticed by anyone. However, no-one mentioned it, knowing that the subject of whatever injury his right eye sustained was pretty serious and a rather sensitive topic for the first-year.

"I…" He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I'll be fine. I have Hinata to watch out for me, don't I?"

"I wouldn't be too reassured by that if I were you." Tsukishima grumbled, earning a protest from the other middle blocker, which he ignored completely.

"Don't worry. I'll be okay. After all, we're not going to split up, knowing how dangerous it could – no, how dangerous it _is_. No-one else can come, though."

"What are you talking about? I can come." Kageyama mumbled, although his argument was proved invalid as he broke out into a coughing fit straight afterwards.

" _You_ , young man, are not moving from that spot until I say you can." Sugawara pointed a finger at the younger setter.

"You're not my mum." Kageyama muttered under his breath, rubbing the bottom of his nose furiously.

"No, I'm not. I'm your upperclassman, and you'll listen to what I tell you to do." Suga retorted sharply.

He sighed, knowing he'd lost. "Fine, fine. But we can't just send these two, right?"

"I can go, if you want." Asahi offered, but was immediately shot down by loud protests from both Sugawara and Yamaguchi. 'Not with your ankle' was the main point they were making, or _trying_ to make, as Suga went off on a tangent, somehow bringing in 'suffocating in the sand should his ankle give way'. Why he wouldn't just roll over if that happened was beyond him, but he chose not to argue with them.

"Come on Asahi, you can't leave me and Kiyoko with this lot!" Suga exclaimed, sounding almost desperate.

"Hey! Don't lump me in with the first-years!" Narita hmphed, folding his arms and wincing slightly as his ribs protested.

"What're you trying to say?!" Kageyama rounded on him.

"Don't take that tone with your upperclassman!" The second-year narrowed his eyes.

"Why is everyone pulling ranks on me?!" The first-year cried.

"What is this, the military?" Tsukishima piped up, smirking at Kageyama's flustered and angry 'no!'.

"Now I want to go more than ever." Asahi sighed, although he made no move to get up.

"Well, you're not, so stay there." Suga glanced at him before beckoning Hinata and Yamaguchi over. They obeyed curiously. "Listen guys, I want to make this clear. You two are probably most likely to freak out and panic in this situation, so we're taking a massive risk sending you in; despite this, I believe in you. However, there is a chance that you may come across someone who…who didn't make it. Since it'll be someone you know, you'd be incredibly upset and most likely in denial. Just…stay calm, alright? Of course, everyone might be alive and well, I'm just saying that there is a possibility of this turnout…but don't panic, okay?"

The first-years were silent, the thought of someone close to them dying beginning to overwhelm them.

"Hinata? Yamaguchi? Do you understand?" Suga became worried when neither responded, and started to regret the decision to send them out.

"Y-yeah, we got it." Yamaguchi finally replied, voice wavering a bit. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about us." With that, he turned and began walking away from the group, desperately trying to conceal his fear and dread as many possible outcomes began to dawn on him.

Hinata nodded in agreement to what the freckled teen had said, and quickly turned to catch up with him.

Once they were out of earshot, Yamaguchi let out a shaky breath. Hinata glanced at him, and could empathize with him. He was terrified too. What if someone didn't make it? That thought alone scared both boys, and they found it selfish of them that they'd relaxed slightly once they'd found their closest friends. Even though Kageyama had a cold, and Tsukishima's leg was previously dislocated, they were still okay. They weren't going to die from what ailed them.

"Hey, Yamaguchi?" Hinata called, turning his head partially so he could fix one eye on his friend and the other on where he was walking.

"Yeah?" Yamaguchi had to turn his head nearly all the way to the side to see Hinata, as the latter was on his right-hand side.

"What actually happened to your eye?" By the sharp inhale and tensed body, the middle blocker immediately knew that he'd made an error in asking that. "I-I mean, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, I was just curious-"

"I'd rather not talk about it." The pinch server replied quietly.

"O-oh! Okay, yeah, that's cool – I'm guessing the first person who'll know will be Tsukishima, right?"

"Asahi knows. He's the one who bandaged it."

"Yeah, I should have known. Well, Tsukishima'll be the first person you tell, right?" At Yamaguchi's nod, Hinata knew he should change the subject. Unfortunately, that didn't leave a lot of options that wouldn't somehow end up mentioning their current situation.

Instead, he opted for just quietly walking, to which they both silently preferred.

* * *

With a groan, Daichi opened his eyes, wincing at the harsh orange sunlight that invaded his vision. Sitting up didn't seem to be possible for him, if the sharp pain in his right arm was anything to go by.

Shaking his head, he glanced at his right arm, wondering why it hurt so much. This was soon answered by the fact that one of the bones in his forearm – his radius, he presumed – was sticking out more than it should, and was surrounded by bruised and swollen skin. The sight was enough to make him feel nauseous, and he had to look away, instead focusing on recalling the events of what happened.

 _Of course! The yacht crashed and now…wait, where am I?_ He vaguely remembered Tanaka being near him – no, _next_ to him – when the incident occurred, meaning that surely he couldn't be too far away?

 _What did I even break my arm on? Wait- is it even broken?_ Daichi glanced at his arm before quickly averting his gaze again. _Yep, definitely broken. It looks disgusting, I must admit._ He shuddered, before slowly using his left arm to push himself into a sitting position. Apart from a couple of shallow scratches, he had no other injuries.

 _That's good, I can still walk. But these scratches…they must be from the window…!_ He gasped and shot to his feet, swaying slightly. _The window! Tanaka hit his head; he probably has a concussion or something! I've got to find him_ now _!_

Determination blazing in his eyes, the captain scanned the area around him, and soon picked up the sight of the second-year, lying unconscious less than five metres from him.

Dashing over, Daichi checked Tanaka's pulse, and was relieved to find a steady heartbeat. He cleared the debris around him so he could kneel without it digging into his legs, and then checked the wing spiker's head for any injury. He soon found it. The back of Tanaka's head was swollen and throbbing – but was it a concussion?

 _Damn, I can't tell if it is or not,_ Daichi bit his lip, _so, hopefully it's not something worse than a concussion. But if it is, he shouldn't be asleep. He should stay awake, 'cause going to sleep makes it worse- how long has he been out of it?! Is he going to be alright? Is he going to die from this?! Is-_

The third-year brought his hand up and smacked himself solidly on the left cheek, leaving a red mark. He winced at the stinging sensation from the almost fully healed bruise that he'd got from the match against Wakunan.

 _I've got to get it together! If I freak out, who's gonna help him?_ Taking a deep breath, Daichi gently shook Tanaka's shoulders; but only after scanning his body for any other injuries. He seemed to be in the same boat as the older teen; only a couple of scratches and a serious injury.

Sighing, he murmured, "Tanaka, can you hear me? I need you to wake up. C'mon, please! Wake up! Open your eyes!"

As if by luck, the second-year began to blearily open his eyes, wincing at the quickly fading light that filled whatever room they were in. A hallway, perhaps? However, as soon as Daichi's hopes rose, they deflated as Tanaka groaned and closed his eyes again, eyebrows furrowed in discomfort.

"What's the matter? What's wrong? Tanaka?" There was a short silence after, which worried him.

"Ugh…'ur's…" He eventually mumbled, speech slurred and broken.

"What?" Daichi frowned in concern. _Definitely a concussion, I think._

"'Urts…"

"'Urts'? Wait- ' _h_ urts'? Is that what you're trying to say?" Tanaka grunted softly, and he took it for a yes. "Okay, so what hurts? Your head?" Another grunt that meant yes.

The captain bit his lip, wondering what to do. _He shouldn't go to sleep, I know that. I should probably wash his head injury in case there's a cut as well, lest it get infected and add to our long list of problems…but I don't have anything to wash it with. Damn._

"D-Daichi…?" _Wow, he's a lot more coherent suddenly,_ Daichi mused as he hummed questioningly. When he got no response, he opted to actually answering via words, in case the second-year's ears were ringing loud enough so that he had difficulty hearing.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Wh-what ha'ened?" He slurred the double 'p' in happened, and it seemed that merely talking took its toll on him.

"Well, we crashed, remember? I'm not entirely sure where we are, though."

"C-crashed?" Tanaka echoed meekly. "We…just be-beat Shira-ratoriza-zawa, righ'?" Daichi frowned, both at what the meaning behind the sentence was and that Tanaka's voice was breaking more than before as well as repeating some sounds.

"What are you talking about? We were on a boat trip, and then the storm came and we ended up beached on the island! Don't you remember?"

Tanaka suddenly inhaled sharply and tensed as he realised something. "D-Daichi…I-I can't remember anything about a boat…"

There was a gap in Tanaka's memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the lateness. The only possible excuses I have is lack of energy to write, constantly getting distracted by the internet when I look up one thing and end up getting side-tracked for at least half an hour, school tests, and two other new storylines floating around in my head. Curse you, world.
> 
> Oh, and just so you know; updates may be slower than before. Don't blame me; blame the 'wonderful' concept called fate.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata and Yamaguchi run into Ukai, Yachi and Ennoshita and learn the tragic fate of Kinoshita. Unable to believe it, Yamaguchi runs off, and Yachi follows him. 
> 
> When she finally catches up to him, she makes the mistake of calling to him, and he ends up getting badly hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for tsukishimakei’s comment! Know that I’m not quite through with these guys yet. They’ll suffer even more, and your comment gave me an idea for increasing Tsukishima’s suffering (because I’m mean).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Hinata and Yamaguchi rarely spoke in the entire time they searched for the others; except for the brief conversation at the start and occasional muttered curses as something made them jump or they tripped.

They mainly kept to the back of the boat, as if hesitant to explore the front, where they feared the worst. However, both first-years knew that it was inevitable- they _had_ to check the front of the yacht, where it was a _fact_ that it took the brunt of the crash. Survival rates were pretty low; they just hoped that the team was lucky enough to escape this whole mess with no fatalities.

Suddenly, Yamaguchi winced at began to try and sit down on a piece of wall that had collapsed in on itself, forming a dusty, uncomfortable seat of sorts.

Hinata noticed the sudden movement and frowned. "What's the matter? Are you tired?"

"N-not just that…" Yamaguchi replied as his right hand found his bandaged eye, and he winced again.

The shorter teen gasped in realisation. "Your eye! Why does it suddenly hurt- well, more than before?"

The pinch server shrugged slightly, and brought his hand anyway to reveal red.

The middle blocker instantly leapt into action with both speed and care as he grabbed the lower part of the shirt that he wore underneath his jumped, quickly ripping it off and using the surprisingly clean fabric (he presumed that it remained clean because it was sheltered by his jumper), before speaking in soft, encouraging tones. "Okay, I have to take your bandage off. If it's bleeding, then it'll only soak into the bandage and then possibly clot or make it worse."

"But-"

"I know you don't want me to say, but I-I don't have a choice." The waver in Hinata's voice was noticed by Yamaguchi, who understood that he was mostly acting on adrenaline rather than expertise. _He's probably just as scared as I am right now,_ the freckled teen thought as he sighed, closed his left eye and allowed Hinata to begin undressing his wound.

The sudden squeak from the middle blocker caused Yamaguchi to wince, not only in pain but for being reminded of how disgusting his injury looked.

Unfortunately, the bleeding first-year made the mistake of opening his eye, and automatically his right eye opened, before the pain flared and he quickly closed it again. He inwardly cringed at the gag that came from Hinata, followed by him clapping a hand over his mouth.

 _Is it_ that _disgusting?_ Yamaguchi thought, suddenly wishing for a mirror so he could see how horrible his face looked.

"S-sorry!" Hinata blurted out, although his jaw was clenched as if he felt extremely nauseous. _I can understand why._ The taller teen's left hand curled into a fist at the thought.

The middle blocker reached over and dabbed at Yamaguchi's tightly shut eye with the ripped part of his shirt.

"I knew it…" The pinch server's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Knew what?" Hinata frowned, both from Yamaguchi's statement and the blood that poured form his eye.

"It's disgusting. My eye, I mean."

"Wha- n-no. Not at all! I was just…surprised is all-"

"The fact that you're obviously lying just to try and make me feel better only makes it worse." Yamaguchi refused to meet Hinata's gaze.

"I-I…it's not that bad." Hinata tried to reassure him; to no avail, though, as Yamaguchi sighed and covered his eye with his hand. "No, really! It's fine; I doubt anyone would tease you or anything for it! And…and I still need to clean it-"

"I can do it." He interrupted, taking the fabric from the shorter teen to cover his eye with it, forming a better screen than his hand. "Oh, and it's not the teasing that bothers me."

"Then…what is it?"

Yamaguchi swallowed, delaying his reply for a minute or so. "I-it's the fact that my eye will disgust and horrify everyone who sees it. Y-you should have seen Asahi. He may not have voiced it, but I could tell that he felt sick at the sight of it."

"It's mostly the initial shock of seeing something like it for the first time!" Hinata cried in a desperate attempt to reassure his friend. "Like I said, I was just surprised at first!"

"Can…" he hesitated, before continuing, "can you describe to me what it looks like? I'll try and keep my eye open for as long as I can, but I…I just really need to know."

Hinata bit his lip, not wanting to tell him. _If he feels this negatively about his eye when he hasn't even properly seen it yet, then who knows what he'll do if I describe it to him in detail? No, I can't risk it. Not now, anyway._ "Uh…maybe later. We need to keep moving; but first, your eye needs bandaging again. I think the bleeding's stopped."

"Oh." Yamaguchi's expression was so disheartened that it made Hinata want to cry. Someone so young shouldn't go through so much suffering. "Okay then…"

"Do you have a spare bandage?"

The freckled teen nodded and reached into his pocket. "There was originally only one in the first aid kit we found, but then Asahi scavenged some more and found a couple extras. He gave them to me to keep hold of."

Hinata nodded and took the fabric away, tossing it to the floor a few metres from them before preparing to use the bandage that Yamaguchi gave him.

Apart from a few hisses of pain, the pinch server was otherwise silent during the whole process, until the middle blocker stepped back and admired his handiwork.

"It's done!" Hinata beamed, proud that he was able to help his friend.

"Yes, I can see that." His reply was a little harsher than he intended. "Sorry, I'm just really stressed and…you know…" He trailed off, but the shorter teen got the message.

"Well, let's go find everyone! I'm sure they're alright. We've just gotta have faith, y'know?"

With a faint smile, Yamaguchi stood and followed Hinata as he marched to the front of the yacht. However, they didn't get all the way there.

"Oof!" Hinata cried as he crashed headfirst into something as he rounded the corner. "What- _Yachi_?!"

Yamaguchi, who hadn't yet gone round the corner, gasped and stuck the left part of his face round, suddenly feeling nervous. Sure enough, there was Yachi, who looked as shocked as Hinata and then _squeaked_ in surprise as he looked round the corner.

"What's going on, Yachi?" The familiar voice of Ukai was heard as the coach came into view. "Hinata? Yamaguchi? Are you guys okay?!"

"Yeah, we're fine, coach!" Hinata nodded. "What about you?"

"Oh, thank God! I was so worried!" Ukai sighed with relief. "And…we're fine…"

Yamaguchi frowned. Even from where he stood, he could tell that Ukai was favouring one leg to the other, and he was obviously hiding something. "Is there anyone else with you?"

As if on cue, slow, heavy footsteps echoed as Ennoshita came out of a room along the wall, carrying Kinoshita on his back. Hinata's grin widened, but Yamaguchi's frown deepened. Ennoshita's eyes looked hollow and distant, as if he wasn't sure where he was; not to mention the fact that he looked quite pale, as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Ennoshita! You're okay!" Hinata cried as he bounded over. "Hm? What's wrong? Wait- is that Kinoshita? Is he okay?" The short teen tried to get a better look at the seemingly unconscious second-year, but Ennoshita snarled and bared his teeth like a cornered animal, and Hinata immediately backed off.

"What happened? Why's Ennoshita like that?" Yamaguchi asked, turning to Ukai for answers. The latter sighed and his gaze dropped to the floor.

"E-Ennoshita? Do you want me to…to tell them?" The usually strong, confident coach was suddenly reduced to a scared, nervous one, which only made Yamaguchi more worried. The second-year didn't seem to have heard him, so Ukai repeated the question.

"F-fine." Ennoshita spat, unusually defensive. He shuffled himself so Kinoshita was completely blocked from view, as if protecting him from something.

Ukai took a deep breath. "Guys…Kinoshita, he…he d-didn't make it." His voice wavered and cracked halfway through. A heavy silence fell on them.

"N-no…you're kidding me, right?" Yamaguchi spoke up, voice little above a whisper. "He's not…he's not dead. He isn't, okay?! He's fine!" His voice was becoming more frantic, and his breathing began increasing, and he shook with distress and fear.

"Yamaguchi…" Yachi murmured, unsure of how to handle it. He was refusing to believe it, so what could she do? Ennoshita wasn't going to let anyone see his friend's body.

"Listen to me." Ukai commanded. "I-it's true. Kinoshita...is dead. He-he sacrificed himself to…to save me, and-and…" He furiously rubbed his eyes, overcome with emotion.

"N-no…you're lying!" Yamaguchi yelled, before disappearing. The sound of running footsteps told the others that he was running away.

"Damn…don't make this harder for us all!" Ukai shouted after him, although he couldn't blame the first-year. Not only was this situation overwhelming, but hearing the news that someone who you spoke to on the bench as a reserve had tragically died must be really hard for Yamaguchi to accept.

Yachi knew she had to go after him, so followed as fast as she could, desperate to catch up to him.

"Are…are you serious? He's really…?" Hinata stared at Ukai unblinkingly, hoping that he was just messing around, and Kinoshita would wake up and scold him for joking about that sort of thing.

"I'm sorry." The coach sighed again. "He pushed me out of the way and got…got impaled-through the chest-fatal wound-" He cut himself off from choking the words out, clapping a hand over his mouth and feeling sick by merely talking about what happened.

"O-oh." Was all Hinata said – was all he _could_ say – as he suddenly felt weak at the knees and shakily sat down on the floor.

"I wish it was a murder instead." Ennoshita suddenly stated in a strangely calm yet strangled voice.

"Huh?!" The middle blocker stared at him in horror.

"If he was murdered, then we could simply avenge him because we can take our revenge on the murderer. But the murderer here was a storm and/or a yacht. We can't take revenge on them."

"But we can still avenge him." Ukai mumbled, catching their attention, and urging him to explain further. "Well, I'm sure he'd want us to stay alive and stay together in order to get through this without losing anyone else. We won't ever forget him."

Hinata looked teary-eyed, and Ukai knelt down to hug him, hoping that it would help.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yachi still hadn't caught up to Yamaguchi. _How could he have put so much distance between us already?!_ She thought as she narrowly avoided tripping over. _I'll never catch up to him!_

As if she'd jinxed it in a good way, the freckled teen came into sight once she arrived in a small room with a massive hole in the side, where she presumed a window had once been if the jagged glass was any indication. She opened her mouth to call to him, tell him to stop, but he wasn't slowing down. He was heading straight for the hole, with the intention of leaping out of it.

"Yamaguchi! Don't! Just wait!" He quickly turned, although with the speed he'd been running at, it made him unable to stop at once, and he ended up tripping backwards on something. Yachi could only watch helplessly as, with a terrified shriek, Yamaguchi was sent flying backwards, almost horizontally, through the window, and crashed into the sand, all of his weight on his back as his limbs flailed about, trying to slow himself down from the speed he was skidding across the sand at.

With a shocked gasp, Yachi ran to the hole, and she felt her blood go cold as she saw the bandage covering his right eye. In the heat of the moment when he'd turned round, she hadn't noticed it, but now she could, and she dreaded about what was underneath it – if there _was_ anything beneath it. She mentally chided herself for this thought. _It's probably just a cut or something! Don't presume the worst!_

"Yamaguchi! Can you hear me?!" She called out to him, cupping her hands around her mouth and ignoring the slight sting from the cut on her arm.

The lack of response only worried her more, and she felt her heart skip a beat as she saw the jagged spike of glass that had a bit of ripped clothing on it. _Don't tell me…_ she didn't finish the thought, already crawling out of the hole and nimbly dodging the pieces of glass that still remained in the misshapen window frame.

"Yamaguchi!" She shouted again, dashing over to him and dropping to her knees. Movement to her right caused her to peer into the distance, where she could see someone jogging towards her, coughing into their hand.

"Oi!" The person yelled as they approached. "What happe-" They were cut off by a sneeze.

 _Is that…Kageyama? Is he ill or something?_ She thought, and both questions were answered as the first-year setter reached her, coughing into his hand. She could see the red-rimmed nose and pale face and immediately knew he was indeed sick. _I just hope it's a simple cold and not something worse,_ she bit her lip at the thought.

"He was running, and I shouted to him so he turned round, but he tripped and went flying out the window." Yamaguchi groaned, but didn't move or open his eyes- _eye_. "I think he's hurt himself." Yachi added.

"Where about?" Kageyama asked with a serious tone.

"My best bet would be his back. I just hope it isn't too serious." The manager knew that she had to roll him over to get a good look, but she knew that Yamaguchi would put up some sort of resistance to being moved. "Could you help me turn him onto his stomach?"

The setter nodded and automatically moved into a position to help without being told where to go. Yachi was grateful for this, but couldn't express her gratitude as she was so worried and scared about everything that was going on that she felt nauseous.

Carefully, she slid her hands under Yamaguchi's back, frowning as he hissed and jerked. She quickly withdrew her hands, and were shocked to find them red. "Oh God…" She muttered, trembling.

"Is that…blood?" Kageyama asked, feeling slightly lightheaded.

"Y-yeah, but…we have to roll him over." Yachi felt faint, but she knew that she _had_ to do this. She _had_ to help him; after all, this was her fault - that's what she believed, anyway.

"Okay, on thr-" He broke off to cough into his hand before placing it back on Yamaguchi's right side and shoulder. He was in the position where the pinch server would roll towards him, but had to reach over. "On three." He finished, as if he never coughed. "One…two…three!"

In unison, Yachi pushed Yamaguchi away from her and Kageyama pulled him towards him, effectively flipping him onto his stomach, earning a pained cry from the first-year.

"S-sorry." The manager apologized, before sucking in a sharp breath as she saw his back.

The jacket that he'd been wearing now had a large rip through it which almost split it in half, and the shirt underneath had been shredded, as it was a thinner material than the jacket. Blood stained his clothes, and he whimpered, digging his nails into the sand.

"It's worse than I thought…" She murmured, grimacing at the sight.

The injury itself was a long, jagged gash in his back, and was quite deep. It looked incredibly painful.

"Yamaguchi, can you hear me?" Kageyama's brows creased in worry as he spoke in a gentle tone. "Hey, c'mon. Can you at least look at me?"

Gritting his teeth, Yamaguchi slowly cracked his left eye open, glancing up at Kageyama before squeezing it shut again as a fresh wave of pain washed over him.

"This is pretty serious. We need to get him back to the others." Kageyama declared, coughing into the crook of his arm.

"Others?" Yachi frowned. "Who?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you help me get him on my back?"

"I don't think you're in any condition to give him a piggyback ride."

Kageyama blushed at her wording. "Don't call it that!" He cleared his throat with a few more coughs than what's usually needed. "Just…help, will you? Time is precious."

She sighed but smiled. "Fine. Your funeral." She supposed she could've worded that better as Yamaguchi flinched, and she did the same as she caught onto what he thought.

"What?" The setter asked as he crouched down, arms behind him and ready to support the injured pinch server.

"Uh…I'll tell you later." The manager lifted the freckled teen onto Kageyama's back, wincing in sympathy as he hissed in pain.

Once he was safely on the raven-haired teen's back, they began walking back to the figures that Yachi could spot a short distance away.

"So, it was first just me and Kiyoko-"

"Kiyoko's there?! Is she okay?" She interrupted.

"Yeah; well, except for her knee, but other than that, she's fine." Kageyama sent a warning glare that told Yachi not to interrupt again. "Anyway, then Hinata and Sugawara… _helped_ us get to where Tsukishima and Narita were."

"Hinata's nose looked a bit weird, but I think he was okay." One look at Kageyama and Yachi immediately apologized.

"Then Asahi and Yamaguchi arrived. What about you? Were you with anyone? And where's that dumbass Hinata anyway?"

"I'm fine; just a little cut on my arm. And I was with Ukai, Ennoshita and," she swallowed nervously, "Kinoshita. Hinata was with them, but Yamaguchi ran off and I followed him."

"Why'd he run off?"

"Uh…I'll tell you later."

Kageyama's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he chose not to press further. "Well, as long as Hinata doesn't get himself killed."

Both Yamaguchi and Yachi flinched at his choice of words, which did not go unnoticed by the setter.

"Okay, seriously, _what?"_

"Uh…I'll tell you later." She repeated for the third time, earning an irritated sigh from the taller first-year.

"You better." He spat, but couldn't say anymore as Sugawara ran over.

"Kageyama! Don't run off when you're sick!" He scolded, but paused as he spotted Yamaguchi. "What's wrong with him? Is he hurt? We saw something fly into the sand – was that him?"

"Yeah, he's hurt really bad." Kageyama mumbled, but loud enough for Tsukishima to hear.

"What?!" The tall blonde tried to get up, eyes wide.

Suga swiftly checked Yamaguchi's injury, and took a shaky breath. "Okay, I need a few cloths stat. And some fresh water. Narita and I found a small waterfall and a river in the jungle – the water's clean there."

"I'll go." Yachi declared, determination blazing in her eyes.

"I'll accompany her to show her where it is." Narita spoke up.

"Absolutely not!" Suga exclaimed. "You're not going anywhere-"

"Well, you'll stay here and help take care of Yamaguchi, won't you?" Narita snapped.

"Yeah, but-"

"Then I'll go and help Yachi, since you and I are the only people who know where it is."

"…What if you overexert yourself or fall?"

"I won't. Promise."

"I-if you're sure you're up for it, then I suppose so…"

"Thanks, Suga!" Narita smiled, before turning to Yachi. " Now, it's dark, so we'll have to be quick, alright?"

"Yeah." Yachi nodded, helping him up. "Wait- what are we gonna carry the water in?"

"Use this." Kageyama handed a bucket to the second-year.

"Where did you even get this from?!" Narita stared at him.

"I just saw it over there now. While you and Sugawara were arguing, I put Yamaguchi down and picked it up."

"Well, I never saw it before. Maybe it's a sign that luck is on our side?" Narita shrugged as if he'd asked himself, before ushering Yachi toward the jungle.

Tsukishima decided that he wasn't going to leave Yamaguchi's side ever again if he could help it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi tries to deal with Tanaka's sudden memory loss, until a saviour comes in the form of Ukai.
> 
> Meanwhile, Hinata and Ennoshita, who split up from Ukai, go to leave the boat with the burden of breaking the news about Kinoshita to the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know, very late update and all, but I was pretty busy, so…
> 
> Oh, and know that I haven't forgotten about Nishinoya; you'll learn his fate soon…but don't worry, that doesn't mean he's dead – I won't say any more.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Daichi felt his blood go cold as he heard those words. _'_ _D-Daichi…I-I can't remember anything about a boat…'_ was a lot more understandable than before. The third-year blamed it on the fear that Tanaka felt that had made him able to pronounce every sound.

"Wh-what?" He blurted out bluntly and rather blankly.

Tanaka merely groaned again and closed his eyes.

"Tanaka, stay awake! Don't fall asleep, okay?" Daichi shook his shoulder, causing the latter to crack one of his eyes open.

"S'brigh' in 'ere…" He mumbled, squinting in an effort to block the weak, almost nonexistent sunlight that crept in through the broken window a couple of metres from them.

This caused the captain to frown in concern. "N-no, it's not. It's really dark, actually." He bit his lip and scanned the area. _How can he possibly think it's bright in here? Then again, it may be due to his concussion…whatever the reason, it's not good. Despite this, we need to try and get out of this goddamn boat, but the thing is, I don't think we can go very far in Tanaka's- in_ our _conditions._ Daichi smiled a bit. _Why, Suga would scold me for 'not worrying about myself' if I voiced my thoughts aloud._

The third-year bit his lip as he considered whether or not to shout for help. It would get help quicker, but it could also risk the yacht collapsing in on itself – of course, this may not happen at all, but at this point Daichi couldn't be sure about anything.

"Tanaka, just…what's the last thing you remember?"

The second-year stared at him blankly for a moment, before furrowing his brows. "Uh…beatin' Shi-Shiratori-rizawa."

"What about the boat trip?"

"E-eh? Wha' are yo-you on abou'?" His speech slurred even more and his eyes threatened to close again.

"Th-the boat trip that Ukai took us on, around Japan." Tanaka shook his head slightly to show he didn't remember, wincing at the sting it gave him. "Um…the storm?"

"Ar-are you 'reamin'?"

"What? No, I'm not dreaming! This all happened! Why don't you remember?!" He sighed, willing himself to calm down. "The storm caused us to crash on this island. You bashed your head, and now you have a concussion of some sort."

"I-I don't 'emember tha', Daichi."

The third-year cursed under his breath and the room fell silent for a few moments, until-

"Hello?" A voice suddenly shouted, its sound seemingly resonating through the entire boat. "Is anyone there?"

He flinched and wildly glanced around, expecting something to come crashing down at the sudden increase in volume. Thankfully, however, the boat remained stable and didn't try to bury them alive. He took this as a sign that it would be okay to reply.

"Yeah!" He called, voice cracking slightly as he accidentally knocked his broken arm. "We're in here!"

He heard muffled voices, and was relieved to know that whoever the voices belonged to weren't that far away.

Before long, the relieving, familiar face of Ukai appeared, eyes widening immediately after taking in the scene he was met with.

"D-Daichi!" His tone was a mix between surprised, relieved and worried. "And Tanaka! Are you guys okay?" The coach limped over, brows furrowed in concern as he saw the second-year's distant expression.

"Coach! Thank God; I was so worried!" Daichi was about to get up when he saw Tanaka's eyes flutter closed.

"What's wrong with Tanaka?" Ukai asked as he knelt beside them. "Wait- a concussion?"

The third-year nodded wordlessly, too tired to wonder how the adult knew that. "Please say you know how to help him!" He exclaimed, locking eyes with the coach.

The blonde took one look at Daichi's pleading stare and offered a hopefully reassuring smile to him. "Don't worry." His face fell and he bit his lip as a thought occurred. "Since there isn't a hospital nearby or medical resources, I suppose the only things we can give him are peace, quiet and rest. I doubt the first aid kits are still intact, so headache tablets are unlikely to be at our disposal right now."

Daichi sighed, before frowning. "I heard voices – are you with anyone?"

"I _was_ ," Ukai began, hurriedly continuing at the teen's horrified expression, "not like _that_ ; I heard your voice and I told them to exit the boat while I investigated."

"'Them'?" The captain echoed curiously.

"Hinata, Ennoshita and," he swallowed before adding, "Kinoshita."

"How are they? Are they okay?"

"They're fine…for the most part."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…Kinoshita is…y-you'll find out later." Ukai just couldn't bring himself to say those dreaded words _again_.

"Oh, okay then…" Daichi's frown deepened but he chose not to press any further. Instead, he attempted to get Tanaka to open his eyes.

"We should get him outside." The adult stated, glancing around them. "It's dangerous to remain in here, lest the boat collapse in on itself." He sighed as he remembered something. "Aww, this was a rental as well!"

Despite the situation, Daichi chuckled under his breath. "Well, you didn't mean for this to happen, so surely you'll be excused from a fine or something, right?"

"To be honest, I don't think anyone would _ever_ mean for this sort of thing to happen." Ukai murmured, before gently lifting Tanaka bridal-style as he noticed Daichi's broken arm. He began walking away, his limp slightly heavier with the added weight.

"Coach, what happened to your leg?" The third-year asked as he rose to his feet.

"Just call me Ukai; I ain't your coach here. And I cut my foot on some glass. Nothing major. Now come on – we should get out of here as soon as possible."

Nodding, the captain followed the coach as they headed out of the room.

* * *

Ennoshita stared blankly ahead, eyes unfocused yet seemingly trained on the back of Hinata's head as he led the second-year- no, the _two_ second-years out of the demolished yacht.

"And then Kageyama _actually_ called it a 'death boat'! I mean, of _all_ the names, it had to something as grim and miserable as _that_!" Hinata rambled, until he glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Ennoshita? Are you listening?"

Eyes widening, said teen shook his head to bring himself back to reality and frowned at the first-year. "Hmm?" Was the only noise he made, as if he didn't trust his voice anymore.

Hinata seemed to deflate, sighing although with more concern than irritation. "Would you prefer me to be quiet until we get back to the others?"

 _But if you're quiet, then the voices of my thoughts will deafen me,_ Ennoshita thought as he realised that even though he hadn't listened to a word Hinata said, the sound of his voice, although distant, seemed to challenge his thoughts in terms of volume.

Instead of saying all of this, the second-year merely shook his head and offered a weak, forced smile. Both teens knew that he was in shock from all of this – especially Kinoshita's…demise. But there are different ways of dealing with shock, and they just had to find the right one. Unfortunately, having the noticeable weight of his deceased friend on his back didn't exactly help.

"Well…if you're sure…" The small middle blocker shrugged, before continuing, "Oh, and speaking of Kageyama, it seems he's caught a cold or something. I really want to tease him for it, but this the ideal situation, y'know? I suppose Tsukishima's doing a good job of taking the mess outta him, though. Gah, I hope not. Ah! I also hope he hasn't been walking round, seeing as I told him to stay off that leg of his. I swear, if he disobeyed me…"

 _Hinata, your mother hen side is showing,_ Ennoshita wanted to say, but he just couldn't bring himself to open his mouth and utter even a word. After all, Kinoshita can't say anything anymore…

Desperately trying to distract himself before his thoughts travelled further down that path, the second-year took in his surroundings. However, this was like being atop a tall mountain whilst your fear of heights is increasing, and deciding to look around you. It only made things worse.

"-and he was just so _rough,_ but…I suppose he _did_ fix my nose, so I'll let him off the hook. Anyway, I wonder how everyone's doing? I mean, I'd probably say that Yachi and I are the least hurt – oh, and you, but…um…never mind." Hinata glanced at a hole in the wall, where the sand was barely visible as the dark of night set in. "Boy, it sure is getting dark outside. Wait- the outside! We're here! Ennoshita look, we're almost out!"

Ennoshita, who had started to space out again, glanced up in surprise as the hole that led to his freedom (or part of it, anyway) was little more than a few metres ahead. Of course, Kinoshita already had his freedom…from this torturous life-

Growling faintly under his breath, he tried to rid himself of those thoughts again. It was dangerous to think like that; just like it was dangerous to go on this trip – not that he knew it beforehand, though.

"C'mon, c'mon, let's go! You can see the others!" Hinata gently nudged him forward (when had he got behind him?) and began walking alongside the second-year as they left the dreaded boat and walked on the sand of the island.

They silently headed towards the shadowy figures laid on the beach, who soon noticed them.

"Hinata! You're back!" Suga cried as he jogged over. "Thank God! Something happened, and we could really use your help-"

"Something happened on our end, too." Hinata mumbled dully.

The setter frowned. "What?"

"Um…" The first-year trailed off uncertainly.

"Kinoshita's dead." The blunt, emotionless reply of Ennoshita, who had been silent since they left Ukai, startled them. Hinata was relieved that at least he wasn't in denial or anything, but Suga was…stunned, to say the least.

"Wh-what? H-how? _Why_?!"

"We'll uh…explain to everyone. Now, what happened with you?" Hinata desperately tried to change the subject, and was grateful that, albeit reluctantly, Suga understood and replied.

"Well, Yamaguchi got hurt quite badly. Yachi and Narita went into the jungle to get some clean water to help clean the wound, but it's pretty bad. Not to mention we can't see a damn thing, so I was going to ask you if you could collect some branches and dry leaves so we can make a fire or something."

"Yeah, I can do that. But…can someone come with me? I don't want to go alone…" He trailed off, embarrassed by how cowardly he sounded.

"I'll go." Kageyama appeared out of nowhere with a confident sniffle.

"Eh?!" Suga whipped his head round to stare incredulously at the first-year. "No way! You're in no condition to-"

"I'm not _dying_ , Sugawara. I can handle myself out there. It's more a case of handling this dumbass, though."

"Hey!"

Ennoshita exhaled shakily at the mention of dying and walked past them to gently set Kinoshita down, near Asahi and Kiyoko.

"Ennoshita? Oh my- you have a huge _bruise_ on your face!" Asahi squeaked, looking terrified. "Are you okay?!"

He didn't reply; instead sitting down beside his friend and tuning out from the rest of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know, short chapter and all, but hey, at least I'm updating at last.
> 
> I finally got my inspiration for this story back! There's three or four scenes I have in my mind, but I prefer to put two in each chapter, lest it become hurried or lacking in detail. But know this; the next update will be faster, I promise you that. And if I break that promise, then I have sinned.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yachi and Narita collect the water, and tension grows as Yachi withholds news of Kinoshita's demise from Narita.
> 
> Meanwhile, Ukai, Daichi and Tanaka regroup with the others, and Yachi declares something that shocks everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I told you the next update would be quicker. So here it is in what, less than a week? Meh, close enough. Ha. I haven't sinned at this (but I have at everything else in life).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

To say Yachi was paranoid was an understatement.

Perhaps it was the way the shadows seemed to move around them, or the fact that they're trekking through an unfamiliar jungle in darkness, but she was creeped out and half-expected something to leap out at them.

Narita, on the other hand, had other things to focus on. Such as his ribs, which had begun hurting (when had they stopped?) as soon as they entered the jungle.

"Eek!" Yachi squeaked as the branches of a nearby tree swayed in the breeze. _Wait, a breeze? Hang on, is that…?_ Narita trailed off as his face lit up in relief at the not-too-distant sound of rushing water.

"C'mon, Yachi! We're almost there!" He called, picking up the pace a little. She clutched the bucket closer to her chest and shakily nodded, following the second-year and trying not to look around her. _If I just focus on Narita's back, then nothing can hurt me, right? Just don't look around-_

She let out a frightened yelp as her foot caught on a tree root and she was sent flying towards the ground. Before she could avoid it, a sharp-ended, low branch from some sort of bush or something hurtled up to meet her face- but it didn't take her eye out, or impale her through her mouth. In fact, it didn't harm her face at all.

It ripped her left ear instead.

Biting her lip to stop herself from crying out, Yachi brought her left arm up to cradle her ear, which had begun to bleed, ignoring the protest from the cut on her forearm. She writhed about on the ground as she willed the pain to end.

"Y-Yachi!" Narita cried in surprise, before crouching down and reaching out his arms to keep her still, even though his ribs changed from giving him discomfort to giving him burning pain. "Stay still! Let me look it at!" He commanded and, surprisingly enough, she actually obeyed, although her arm was still firmly clamped over her ear.

"I-it hurts…" She whimpered, one eye tightly shut and the other silently pleading for him to get rid of her pain.

"I know, but I need you to put your arm down. I can't see your ear through your arm, mostly 'cause I don't have x-ray vision, y'know?"

She giggled lightly at that, and lowered her left arm, before using her other hand to hold the cut on her arm. He inhaled sharply as he saw the damage. Luckily, it was a fairly clean cut, but it went straight through the side of her ear and left a small rip in the body part. The injury itself was in the centre of the helix, and fortunately wasn't deep enough to affect her hearing or anything major.

It reminded the second-year of a cat, if he was honest; whenever a cat got into a fight, mostly a tom, and it got that almost triangular shaped rip in its ear. He decided not to say this to Yachi, though.

"Is it b-bad?" She asked, staring at him.

"Uh…no; we just need to staunch the blood flow. It's only minor, don't worry." He reassured as he helped her to her feet.

"O-oh, okay…thanks." Then her eyes widened. "Oh! We should keep going; Yamaguchi needs help more than I do."

"Are you sure you're able to?" He queried, concern flashing in his eyes.

She smiled at him. "Like you said, it's just minor. I'm sure the pain will go away, and I'll just have to use my sleeve or something until it stops bleeding."

Narita reached into his pocket and withdrew what looked like a pocket handkerchief. At Yachi's incredulous expression, he explained, "It was a bit damp at first, but it's dry now. Do you want to use it…?"

"No; it can be used to bathe Yamaguchi's wound."

He sighed. "Just because someone else is in greater pain than you, doesn't mean that you can forget your pain as well."

"I know, but…" She trailed off, before changing the subject. "We should keep going. I'll use my sleeve. But could you carry the bucket? I dropped it over there when I tripped." She pointed a couple of metres away from them, where the object sat in a bush.

Wordlessly, he picked it up and began walking alongside Yachi instead of in front of her.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the stream, and while the pair knelt at the bank, and uncomfortable silence filled the air. Narita kept a tight hold on the bucket while it filled with water, and Yachi fiddled with the sodden grass by her knees.

"Hey, Narita?" She spoke up timidly, as if scared to break the silence.

"Hmm?" He didn't look at her, but she knew he was listening.

"Do you…" She trailed off, attempting to reword her question, "Do you believe this is real?"

"Well, it's not a case of _wanting_ to believe, but more a case of _having_ to believe. This is our reality."

"But we're a volleyball club, not survival people."

"The wildest creatures we've ever been faced with are Tanaka and Nishinoya on a sugar rush."

She chuckled, before frowning. "I haven't seen either of them. Or Daichi. Do you-"

"-think they're okay? 'Course. Those three are some of the stubbornest people I've ever met. It's take more than a boat crash to kill that lot off."

Boat crash. Kill. Dead. Kinoshita.

Yachi took a shaky breath and clenched her right hand into the earth below her but made sure not to add any more pressure onto her ear.

"Didn't you say you were with Ennoshita, Kinoshita and Coach?" Narita asked.

"What? Uh…yeah, that's right."

"Were they okay?"

Oh God, that question was hard to answer. "Um…Ukai had a cut on the bottom of his foot from a piece of glass, and Ennoshita had a bruise on his face…" she trailed off, unwilling to report Kinoshita's fate.

"…And Kinoshita? What about him? Is he okay?"

"…" She couldn't reply. She just couldn't.

"Yachi?"

"I-I can't say. You'll know later."

It was Narita's turn to not answer, dozens of possibilities spiralling around in his brain.

"Come on." Was all he said, before standing and waking away from the stream and leaving Yachi to follow behind.

* * *

Neither of them uttered a word even when they got back to the beach. 

The second-year remained silent when they walked over to the others. He didn't greet Sugawara as he quick-walked over to welcome them back. He said nothing as he sat on the sand, staring blankly ahead and almost dropping the bucket as he all but collapsed onto the beach.

Suga noticed his odd behaviour. "Is he okay? Did something happen?"

"Um…y-yeah, but it's…complicated."

"Oh, okay. I've sent Kageyama and Hinata off to collect wood for a fire. They haven't returned yet; I hope they're okay."

Yachi smiled. "You really do worry about everyone, don't you?"

The third-year gave her a surprised look. "And you don't?"

"No, I do-"

He laughed lightly. "I'm only messing. Now come; we must tend to Yamaguchi. He's losing too much blood."

The manager felt her blood go cold at the last sentence. She wasted no time jogging over to the injured first-year, who was being comforted by Tsukishima, to which Yachi was only half-surprised. She figured that seeing Yamaguchi in his current state would force the middle blocker to abandon his normal façade and show his caring side, but she never managed it would be to _this_ extent.

One of the tall blonde's hands was holding Yamaguchi's, and the latter gripped it like Tsukishima's hand could ease his pain. Even though the taller first-year winced occasionally as his friend's nails clearly dug into his skin, he otherwise showed no pain. He ignored his leg and just focused on the suffering pinch server, which Yachi found quite sweet (although she'd never say it for fear of the middle blocker getting mad at her).

Tsukishima's other hand was gently combing through the shorter teen's hair as he muttered sweet nothings under his breath. The others were surprised and touched by his caring actions.

"Um, Narita…could I borrow that handkerchief of yours?" Yachi asked nervously.

Almost robotically, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the object in question, before handing it to her. He made no sound whatsoever.

Thanking him, she bent down and picked up the bucket, allowing the others to see her ear. There was a collective gasp, but Yachi was just thankful that it had stopped bleeding. Thank God it was only minor, and hadn't affected her hearing. Lord knows she'd need it for however long they were going to spend on that awful island.

Kneeling beside Yamaguchi, who thankfully wasn't too far away, she met Tsukishima's gaze and silently begged for him to help her help his friend.

He nodded and peeled away his jacket, which he'd been using to cover Yamaguchi's deep wound. The manager noticed that the latter was shirtless, but by now she was used to seeing the guys at the club take off their shirts (especially Tanaka) so it didn't really affect her.

Dipping the makeshift cloth in the water, which was slightly cold, she wrung it out and gently dabbed the top of the gash, earning a gasp and a whole-body flinch from her 'patient'.

"Sorry!" She squeaked instinctively.

"It-it's f-fine." Yamaguchi gasped, his grip on Tsukishima's hand tightening. His breathing had increased, and his eye was tightly shut. Whether his bandaged one was squeezed shut or not, they weren't sure, but it wasn't bleeding, at least.

"Keep going." Tsukishima grunted, shifting slightly. "If he starts thrashing around, I'll hold him down."

"I'll help as well." Kiyoko spoke up as she hopped over, her face set with determination.

"Kiyoko, your knee-" Asahi started, but was cut off.

"I'll be fine. You worry too much, Asahi." She smiled at him over her shoulder before awkwardly getting down on the floor

"But-" Suga tried to say, but a meaningful look from the third-year manager silenced him. 'Let me help' was the message she was giving him with her eyes; and that was a message he couldn't say no to. "Okay, just…don't push yourself."

She smiled softly at him before returning her attention to the first-year.

Nervously, Yachi wet the cloth again and brought it over the wound again. This time, however, caused a much stronger reaction.

Yamaguchi cried out this time, his back arching like a cat's, and his chin tucked into his chest as he panted, the pain being enough to rob him of his breath.

Tsukishima released his hand to place both of his hands on his friend's shoulders, pushing him down as gently as he could. Kiyoko placed a hand on an unscathed part of his back and delicately pushed downwards, as if the pinch server could shatter with enough force.

Suddenly, his body went lax and at first, Yachi thought he had passed out. However, that wasn't the case, as his eye was open yet unfocused, and his breathing was rapid and shallow. The blood still poured from his wound, although it seemed to be gradually thinning out.

"…Yamaguchi…?" Yachi called out, unsure.

" _GUYS_!" A voice yelled out, and naturally, everyone turned to watch as Ukai limped towards them, carrying something. There was someone next to him, but they didn't know who. In fact, they only knew it was the coach because of his voice.

"Ukai!" Sugawara cried with joy and relief, quickly heading to him. He soon found that it was Tanaka in the coach's arms, and none other than Daichi grinning at him from his position next to the adult. "D-Daichi!" He embraced his friend with his good arm, and flinched when the captain hissed in pain.

He immediately drew back and scanned his fellow third-year for any sign of injury, and soon found the tell-tale signs of a broken arm.

Suga didn't say anything about it; instead filling the three in on who was there (including Hinata and Kageyama, but he added that he'd sent them off to get firewood). He frowned as he realised that Tanaka wasn't really listening.

"Is Tanaka okay?" He asked.

"He's got a concussion." Ukai replied simply. Then he caught sight of Yamaguchi and his bloody wound. "What the hell happened to Yamaguchi?!"

"C-coach, you've got to help!" Yachi cried. "I think he's going into shock!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yup, I'm mean and ending it there. Now, the next update may be in a few days' time 'cause I have a pretty good idea of what to put in the next chapter.
> 
> And yes, you can't escape the angst in this story. Hopefully there's going to be angst in every chapter. Does that sound mean?
> 
> Anyway, don't forget; comments quite literally fuel me, so don't forget to drop one below (even if it's just to call me an idiot, I don't mind 'cause I am XD)~


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama and Hinata set out to collect firewood...and get hopelessly lost. Humour and references finally find their way into this story.
> 
> Meanwhile, Ukai tries to help Yamaguchi, and part-way through Tanaka says something that makes everyone's blood run cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for your comments, they give me life~
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

It didn't take long for Kageyama and Hinata to get ridiculously lost in the jungle. In fact, they'd been walking in a straight line (as Hinata had insisted they do for help with navigation lest they get lost – it turned out to be _very_ helpful) for about ten minutes, and now here they were…where again?

"Dumbass!" Kageyama yelled, and Hinata had to quickly duck under the punch that was aimed at his head. "How the hell did you get us lost?!"

"Don't blame me!" The shorter teen shouted back. "You're the one leading us!"

"'Straight line', you said," the setter used his fingers to make air quotes, "'going in a straight line will help with navigation', you said. Well, _look_ where that helpful little thing got us!"

"Um…I don't actually know where it got us…"

" _Lost_! It got us _lost_ , in a crazy _jungle,_ on a crazy _island_ , in the middle of crazy _nowhere_!" The raven-haired high school student threw his arms up in the air, coughing under his breath.

"You said 'crazy' way too many times…is your vocabulary really that limited?"

"Dumbass!" Yet again, Hinata had to avoid the incoming attack.

"My point exactly! You always use 'dumbass'! Try something different, or nothing at all!"

"Idiot! Moron! _Idiota! Cretino!"_ He would have continued if the middle blocker hadn't raised his hands. (Idiota and cretino are Italian for idiot and cretin)

"Whoa whoa whoa, don't start getting Italian on me. Hang on- you know _Italian_?!" Not only did he sound incredulous, but Hinata was also in awe, his eyes sparkling.

Kageyama sniffed proudly. "So what if I do? S'not that big of a deal…"

"Aren't you like…multilanguageable now?"

The setter gave him an expression like he'd grown another head. " _What_?"

The shorter teen frowned. "What?"

"What sort of _word_ is 'multilanguageable'?"

He scratched the side of his mouth with his index finger. "Um…it means like…you're fluent in a few languages, right?"

Kageyama facepalmed, before sneezing and cursing, followed by a cough and more cursing. "…No. I think you'll find that the word you're looking for is 'multilingual'. Not…whatever the hell your abomination of a word is."

"'Abomi'- the audacity!" Hinata slapped a hand to his chest in mock offense.

The taller volleyball player merely raised an eyebrow. "Do you actually know what that word means?"

"Careful; you're starting to sound like Tsukishima."

"Shut your face right now unless you want me to sneeze all over you."

"Ew, no, gross." Then he frowned again. "Uh…what are we supposed to be doing again?"

"Getting unlost!"

"Is that a word?"

"Yes! Now, find the right direction."

"Hmm…which direction is the treasure in?"

"This is not a treasure hunt."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, this is survival."

"Yes, it – oh wait, never mind."

They fell into silence as they began walking in a (random) direction. This peace was temporarily broken when the setter let loose a loud sneeze. However, it soon returned to the quiet between them.

"Hey-" Hinata broke the silence.

"Oh my God, what _now_?" Kageyama stared at him.

"Did you know that your sneezes are really loud?"

"I will seriously punch you." Kageyama glared at him.

"Ooh, wood!"

"Are you aware of how stupid you sound?"

"Hmm, well…it's only you, me and the trees that heard."

"God have mercy on my soul if I have to put up with _this_ for the next God knows how long." The taller first-year looked to the dark sky.

"Rude, Tobio-chan~"

"Oh my God, never say that again, you sound just like Oikawa."

Hinata sniggered. "And you sound just like Iwaizumi then." His amusement quickly changed to deep thought. Kageyama feared that the middle blocker's brain might blow up. "Hey…do you think we'll ever see them again?"

"'Course. We're gonna get off this island-"

"No, I mean because they'll be moving onto colleges and universities and stuff now."

"And of course you're not thinking about our current situation. Brilliant." He sighed, before answering properly, "I'm sure we'll see them around and about sometime."

This response seemed to upset Hinata. "K-Kinoshita won't…ever see them again…" He looked as if he was about to cry.

"Look," Kageyama began, catching the other first-year's attention, "if you want a shoulder to cry on…"

"Y-yeah?"

"You're not getting mine."

Hinata gasped in a way which sounded very close to Oikawa's. It was unnerving, actually, how similar it was. "So mean!"

 _And of course he said_ that _, which happens to be something_ he _says a lot,_ the setter thought. "Just…stop thinking so hard. Your brain might overload."

"I'm not a simpleton, you know. And I found some good firewood here, if you want to make an effort to help." The middle blocker turned away from his friend/rival and began collecting the stray, dry branches which seemed to pile up next to the trunk of a tree.

Sighing, the first-year aided the other in gathering up the items that they were there to look for in the first place (y'know, before they got hopelessly lost).

"Some of these are wet, though," Hinata murmured, "I hope they still work…"

"They will."

The shorter teen glanced at the other. "How are you so sure?"

"Because," Kageyama replied with a confident sniffle, "I can tell. The majority of these branches are dry, and will definitely light. The ones which are wet may still light. Don't forget about dead leaves, as well."

"Whoa…I never took you for a survival expert!" Hinata grinned.

The setter rolled his eyes and looked away, trying to hide the proud little blush appearing on his face. "I-I wouldn't call myself an _expert_ ; I only know some things."

"Either way I- ow!" His reply was cut off as he suddenly squeaked and dropped all the branches he was carrying in favour of clutching his index finger with enough forced that it was starting to cut the circulation off.

"What did you do now?" The sick teen sighed as he looked over, covering a small cough with his hand.

"I - ow ow owie ow – think I have a splinter! I'm gonna die!"

"Oh my God, you are _not_ going to die from a splinter!"

"But it huuuuuurts!"

"Of course it does; you have a little piece of wood stuck in your flesh!"

"Eww, don't say that!"

"Stop yelling at me and stay still!"

"Why what are you going to- OW! DON'T DO THAT!" Hinata screeched as Kageyama snatched his injured index finger and squeezed it.

"For the love of God, stop squirming! You'll only make it go in deeper!"

This seemed to make the middle blocker freeze, enabling the setter to see the top of the tiny piece of wood. Luckily, it wasn't deep, but it could have easily gone in deeper. It stuck out of the skin, but he didn't know if it would break, so he had to be careful.

 _Typical, we don't have any tweezers or sanitary places to wash it,_ the raven-haired first-year thought as he clicked his tongue. _I suppose I have no choice but to use my nails to gently rip it out._ He shuddered at the thought. _I may not want to do it, but I have no choice._

Taking a deep breath, Kageyama held Hinata's finger in a vice grip with one hand whilst the other curled into a fist, save for the index finger and thumb, which would act as tweezers. Sure, he hadn't filed his nails in a week or so as he was preparing to do it during the trip, but they weren't long enough to be labelled as 'stand-in tweezers'. Well, they'd just have to do.

Carefully, he positioned his finger and thumb on either side of the splinter, which was slightly diagonal, and resisted the urge to sneeze. Lord knows what would happen if he sneezed while removing a splinter. There was a chance that it would go further in, rip a line through his finger, perhaps even come out and then stab one of them somewhere…well, maybe the last one was a bit far-fetched but hey, it only added to his resolve not to sneeze during the mini-operation.

"Brace yourself and try to keep your hand still, okay?" Kageyama spoke in a gentle yet commanding tone.

"E-eh? What are you-" Hinata had no time to react as the taller teen gripped the splinter with his finger and thumb and quickly tugged it clean out, thankfully in one piece. The sound of loud, colourful profanities filled the air as the middle blocker hopped around as if he'd broken his foot, clutching his finger and somehow shaking his entire arm at the same time. How he managed to do that and not lose grip on his finger remained a mystery.

"Why are you _hopping?_ You have literally just had a splinter taken out. And if you're not careful, you're gonna take my _eye_ out." Kageyama frowned, ducking under Hinata's hand as it nearly hit him in the face.

"Owwwww…why would you _do_ that?!"

"Errr…because it had to come out?" Sarcasm dripped from the setter's voice, which earned him a glare.

"Couldn't you have been more gentle?"

"That was gentle."

"No, that was aggressive."

"Would you rather me have done it slowly?"

"Yes."

"It would have been more painful."

"…It was fine the way it was."

"That's what I thought."

"Stop smirking! Your smugness will be the end of you!"

"Hardly."

"Your sarcastic remarks remind me of a certain someone…"

"Don't you dare say it."

"…by the name of Tsukishima."

"Tsk, you said that. You sinner."

"Your face is a sin!"

"I will seriously punch you."

"Sure. If you end up knocking me out, then you'll have to carry both me and the firewood back."

"No, I'd leave you."

Hinata gasped. "So mean!"

"Once again, you sound like Oikawa."

"Less talking, more collecting stuff for the fire."

"Don't order me about you bloody wimp."

"Hmm, I know what a _wimp_ is, but not a 'bloody wimp'." Hinata replied sarcastically.

"I will seriously punch you."

"Already said that. Never actually did it, so…"

"God have mercy on my soul if _this_ is what I have to deal with for the next three years."

"Hey, Kags?"

" _Kageyama._ Don't shorten my name like that; it creeps me out."

"Do spiders creep you out?"

"Uh…why?"

"'Cause there's one on your head."

"Wh-what?! Get it off get it off get it- I mean, uh…" He trailed off, clearing his throat awkwardly. Trying to act casual, he reached up a hand and ran it through his hair, shaking his head as he did so.

Hinata sniggered. "You gullible fool! There was no spider!"

Kageyama raised an eyebrow. "You dropped your pocket." He snorted with laughter as Hinata looked down, trying to find his 'dropped pocket'. "Dumbass! You can't drop your pocket!"

"Ooh, I am _so_ gonna get you back for that!"

"Sure. You say-"

"The price of my love's not a price that you're willing to pay~"

Kageyama's face was void of emotion as he slowly turned to look at his companion. "You did _not_ just make that reference."

Hinata grinned. "Oh, I did. And I'm not taking it back."

"You are Hamilton trash. I didn't actually know this beforehand."

The shorter teen shrugged. "Trash and proud."

"Oh my God."

"Wait…"

"What now?"

"How did you know it was Hamilton?"

Kageyama stuttered over his response. "Uh…I-I…y-you-"

Hinata pointed at him, eyes wide. " _You're_ Hamilton trash as well!"

He blushed, which confirmed it.

"I can't believe we have something in common that's not relevant to volleyball."

"Don't tell _anyone_ about it; this stays between us. Got it?"

"I won't say a word."

"Good. God, I can only _imagine_ what Tsukishima would say. He's too damn smart for his own good. I don't know if he's got attitude or is just naturally an ass."

Hinata smirked. "Soon that attitude may be your doom~"

Instead of facepalming (although he almost did), Kageyama joined in as they began singing the rest of the song.

In fact, by the time they'd collected the necessary firewood (albeit Hinata was careful with his finger) and had nearly got to the beach, they'd bonded over singing songs. How odd.

However, their voices died down as the trees began to thin. "Remember; don't say a word to _anyone_." Kageyama hissed in his ear.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. C'mon; I can't actually see where we're going. Speaking of- how did you see my splinter?"

"I eat carrots." He replied bluntly.

The middle blocker rolled his eyes. "Helpful."

"Dumbass!" Hinata had to duck under a fist which almost caused them both to drop their loads. "Carrots are supposed to help you see in the dark!"

"Why are you angry as you're telling me that?!"

"'Cause you're a dumbass!"

"What sort of logic is that?!"

Yeah…it didn't take long for them to revert to their normal selves.

* * *

Ukai bit his lip, his mind blank. Yachi had just said that she thought Yamaguchi was going into shock. But how did you help someone who was going into shock again? He couldn't remember. Couldn't people die from shock?

Numbly, he set Tanaka down in the sand, and walked over to Yachi.

"C-coach, you have to help!" She repeated.

He made no reply, instead just staring at Yamaguchi blankly. _What…am I supposed to do again? I…can't seem to remember…_ His thoughts trailed off and he swallowed.

"Ukai!" Daichi's voice filtered through his ears, and he perked up a bit. "You're the only adult here! We're relying on you to help us! Don't let us down!"

This seemed to clear his mind and sharpen his senses. Ukai nodded with a burst of confidence. "Keep treating his injury. Make haste; time is of the essence in our present situation."

Grateful to have some sort of job towards helping her friend, Yachi dunked the cloth into the water again, before continuing her task of cleansing the wound. She found it unnerving that her 'patient' didn't react at all. He just… _stared_ , with unfocused eyes. To make things worse, his breathing still seemed to be increasing (if at all possible), and she fretted that he might pass out from lack of oxygen.

So engrossed she was in her worries, Yachi didn't register that Tsukishima had taken the cloth from her and was murmuring something over and over to Yamaguchi, as well as talking to her.

"Hmm…what?" She frowned, surprised that she wasn't listening. Normally she was a very attentive person; of course, the situation she – _they -_ were in was anything but normal.

Tsukishima sighed with impatience and irritation. "I _said_ I've got this. You can go."

"O-oh. Are you sure? I mean-"

"I'm _sure._ Now give us some space, will you? Let Coach come closer as well."

Wordlessly, the first-year manager backed off, opening up her space to Ukai, who quickly took it and grasped Yamaguchi's wrist to check his pulse.

"His heart rate's too fast, but how can we slow it without a defibrillator or hospital care? There's no IV around here, nor any spare blood, so what can we do?"

"We're _baaaaack!"_ A sudden loud voice startled almost everyone in the group, and they all simultaneously (except Yamaguchi of course) looked up to watch as Kageyama and Hinata returned, each carrying lumps in their arms which the rest presumed to be firewood.

It didn't take Kageyama long to sense the tension in the rest of the club members, and he frowned, placing the branches and dead leaves on the sand gently. "What's going on? Is Yamaguchi okay?"

"I'd be lying if I said yes." Ukai muttered, audible enough for the first-year to hear. After all, the beach was practically silent and void of life, save for the shipwrecked people.

"O-oh. Is there anything I can do to help?" Hinata asked, concern etched onto his face.

"No, I'm afraid not. Except build a fire, but there isn't any sunlight to use the lens of someone's glasses to spark a flame, nor is there time to get a rock. I would suggest my lighter, but…" He trailed off with a sigh. "I looked for it before we crashed, but I couldn't find it. I think Nishinoya nicked it while I wasn't looking; Lord knows what for, but I know it wasn't for smoking."

Tanaka, who had been only half-listening, was struck to attention at the mention of his friend. He quickly scanned the group of people, ignoring the way the world seemed to be tilted, and discovered, much to his horror, that Nishinoya was _not_ among them.

"Oi…" He spoke up, struggling to keep his voice calm.

Sugawara glanced at him. "What's wrong, Tanaka?"

"Where's Nishinoya?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Haha, cliffhanger~ Ish. Whatever.
> 
> This story is full of depressy angsty stuff in every chapter, so I thought 'hey, there's Kageyama and Hinata alone in the jungle! Let's add some humour to lighten the moment!' So there, I've explained myself.
> 
> And yes, I'm Hamilton trash, and I'm proud. To all those who were wondering if I'd forgotten Noya…next chapter, you will learn all… *sinister laughter*
> 
> Bye~


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi comes out of his shock, but then...kinda...passes out, and Hinata believes he can use the force. Oh, and the latter gets roasted twice. Ha.
> 
> Also, Daichi and Suga enter the 'death boat' to search for Nishinoya...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Sugawara swore he stopped breathing after that statement. _Nishinoya…this is the first time we've all been together after the crash, so I thought that Ukai, Daichi or Tanaka would have at least_ seen _him…_ His thought trailed off as he glanced around him. _I'm probably in the best condition to go, despite my wrist._

"I'll go look for him." The third-year declared, earning stares from everyone.

"S-Suga!" Daichi cried, eyes wide. "You can't! Your wrist!"

"Oh?" The setter raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose that means that _you're_ going?"

"Well, I _am_ the captain and it's my responsibi-"

"Despite your arm?"

"Uh…it doesn't even hurt that much-"

"Daichi, you are _not_ going alone when you can't even move one of your much-needed arms! At least I can _move_ my arm."

"Seriously, Koushi? You think you can fuss me while we're looking for Noya?"

"Huh?" Asahi looked up, frowning. "What do you mean? Didn't Suga just say no?"

"Actually, he said 'you are _not_ going alone'. That's Sugish for 'I'm coming with you whether you like it or not'." Kiyoko explained with a small smile.

"Aww, you named my language? I'm honoured, really." The ashen-haired setter grinned.

"So…are you coming?" Daichi asked, already about to turn around and head back to the boat.

"I didn't realise you were so willing to enter the death boat." Suga teased, but he lowered his voice on the 'death' part.

"Hey! Stop stealing my line!" Kageyama sniffled angrily, arms folded and resembling a sulking kid.

"You should be proud that someone's stealing your line. It means it's catchy." The older setter replied.

"Enough chit-chat. We have a friend to save." The captain turned and walked away from the group, the vice-captain by his side, and both hoping for the wellbeing of both Nishinoya and Yamaguchi.

"'M'going…" The sudden, slurred voice of Tanaka made Asahi, who was nearest, jump.

"Wh-what? No, you can't!"

"'M'going."

"N-no! It's too dangerous!"

"'M'going!"

"You have a c-concussion! There's no way-"

"He's my friend!" Tanaka yelled, in a sudden moment of clear coherence. "I-I can't just _leave_ him! H-he helped me when there was a storm!"

Kiyoko frowned and leant closer. "'A storm'? Which storm are you referring to?"

"Um…I'm not sure…I just suddenly remember I was under a bed in this place that kept moving, and Noya came and he was talking to me but…I can't seem to remember what he was saying…"

 _So he's slowly starting to remember what happened,_ the manager thought. "Okay, so where do you think he is now?"

"I-I don't know…wait!"

"What is it?"

"D-Daichi! I remember seeing Daichi, and then…and then…Noya went somewhere – I don't know where, but…but…"

"But what?" Kiyoko pressed.

Tanaka shook his head weakly. "'M'tired…" His eyelids began to droop, and she knew that was all the information they were going to get out of him for now.

She sat back and let Asahi take over as he, half-panicking, told the second-year to stay awake and kept rambling on about random things.

"Um…K-Kiyoko?" Mentioned third-year looked up at the sight of Yachi nervously standing over her.

"Yes?"

"W-we uh…think Yamaguchi's coming out of his shock."

Kiyoko's eyebrows rose slightly. "Really? Are you sure?"

Yachi nodded excitedly. "Y-yeah! Well, that's what Ukai said, at least…"

"Either way, it's good. Maybe things might start looking up for us." The third-year glanced at the night sky, before hearing a yelp and shouting. Turning her head, she raised an eyebrow at the sight of Kageyama coughing and yelling at Hinata, who was yelling back.

"What sort of idiot-moron-dumbass hybrid _are_ you?!" The setter yelled, his arms flapping around wildly as he choked on a cough.

"They all mean the same thing, you-you…" Hinata trailed off, trying to come up with a good insult, before finishing, "you cabbage!"

Kageyama stared at the middle blocker like he'd grown an extra head. "What sort of _insult_ is a _cabbage_?"

"A _biiiiig_ one! A really insulting insult!"

"How is it?! It's a frui- vegetable!"

"It's the worst thing you can call someone that's related to fruits and vegetables!"

"…I will never understand the thing you call 'logic', as your version of this is so unbelievably messed up that you'll probably get arrested for it."

" _Rude!_ Besides, what I was doing was right! Yelling at me is pointless!"

"You tried to light a fire!"

"Exactly!"

"With the _force_!"

"Yeah well, someone told me 'may the force be with you' not long ago, so if you didn't _interrupt_ me then it would've worked!"

"No, it wouldn't! You know why? Because the force doesn't exist!"

Hinata's expression was similar to someone who'd just been shot. "…You uncultured swine."

"Oi!"

"A long time ago-"

"Oh my God, don't you dare."

"-in a galaxy far, far away-"

"Don't. Just…don't. You know what, I think you're actually lacking a brain."

The shorter teen pouted. "Am not!"

"I have as many edges as you have brain cells. That's why I'm a perfect circle."

"Alright, alright, that's enough." Ukai interrupted, walking over to the pair. "Kageyama…okay, I have to admit, that's was a pretty damn good burn, but…try to limit your arguing, alright? Same goes for you, Hinata. While we wait for Daichi and Sugawara to find Nishinoya, we'll have to light the fire the survival way."

"'Survival way'?" Hinata echoed. "But isn't using a lighter the 'survival way'?"

The coach couldn't resist using sarcasm in this moment. " _Sure_ , Hinata. Screw using sticks and stones and all that stuff, 'cause guess what? We have _lighters_! Come one, come all, buy a lighter! Bears love roasting their fish with lighters! A great way to get rid of horses and cows' pest problems is to just burn those suckers until the bigger animals are free! Oh, and let's not forget the competition for sunlight in the forests and jungles! The trees just use a lighter with their branches to burn away the little buggers who try to steal their sunlight!"

Kageyama whistled under his breath. "Hinata…you just got seriously roasted twice."

Ukai sighed. "Sorry. I'm just a little stressed right now."

"Uh…it's fine, I guess." The middle blocker shrugged, looking down.

"Right. So, could you find me some twigs?" The two first-years nodded and ran off, an air of competitiveness surrounding them.

Sighing again, the coach turned and walked back over to Yamaguchi, who seemed to be back with them. However, he seemed on the verge of passing out, and Tsukishima was talking to him in hushed tones, trying to get him to stay awake.

"How is he?" The adult asked as Tsukishima brought the cloth over the pinch server's back. Immediately, the latter jerked away, albeit feebly.

"He's not in shock, but he's gonna pass out soon. I'm trying to keep him awake, but…it's inevitable." The blonde replied as he cleaned a blood smear that had stained Yamaguchi's paler-than-usual skin.

Ukai nodded to show he'd heard and leant close to the shorter first-year's ear. "Yamaguchi? Can you hear me?"

He got no reply; only a faint whimper and a shiver that spread through the teen's entire body. Tsukishima cursed under his breath and continued muttering things to his friend.

"I need you to stay awake. Can you do that?" Once again, Ukai got no response – well, except for the drooping of his visible eye. "No, don't close your eyes – eye? Ah, never mind – please don't close your eyes! Damn!"

His words were in vain as Yamaguchi shuddered once before becoming still, the only signs of life being the faint rise and falls of his chest.

"He's unconscious, but alive." The middle blocker murmured. "Let's keep cleaning his wound."

* * *

Daichi pushed down the strong reluctance he felt towards entering the yacht after just leaving it, but he knew that leaving Nishinoya to Suga alone was out of the question.

"Do you know where he'd be roughly?" Suga asked.

The captain frowned, trying to remember the last time he'd seen the small second-year. "I…remember telling him to find a bucket…" He replied slowly, "And then…he didn't come back, but I swear he ran towards the front of the boat – that sort of direction."

The vice-captain nodded. "Right. Chances are he's probably still in that area. I didn't see him at all, so I trust your memory on this."

Daichi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I hope he's okay…"

Suga smiled and patted his shoulder. "We all do. Now come on; the more time we take, the more worried everyone gets."

"I know." He answered, before entering the yacht, his close friend by his side.

* * *

 

~30 minutes later~

They'd expected to find at least _something._ Perhaps a shoe, or even blood (although they hoped there wouldn't be any blood). But, even after half an hour of searching, their efforts were fruitless and Nishinoya was simply nowhere to be found.

Suga slowly sat on what looked like half of an overturned sofa and put his head in his hands. Daichi leant against a nearby wall, fighting the urge to fold his arms considering one of the required limbs was currently out of commission.

"Daichi…where is he?" The teen in question frowned at the question and opened his mouth to reply. "Have we not searched well enough?"

"Suga-"

"Did we miss a room? Could we blame the lack of light for our failure?"

"Suga-"

"Or is it simply the fact that I am unreliable to my underclassmen?"

" _Koushi_!"

Sugawara glanced at him. "What?"

Daichi stormed over and placed his good hand on the setter's shoulder. "Don't you _dare_ blame yourself! He'll turn up! We just have to keep searching and not give up!"

"But-"

"But nothing. I wouldn't've taken you to be someone who gives up easily."

"It-" He cut himself off with a sigh. "We've already spent half an hour looking. We should've found him by now."

"I know…I think we should go back."

"What?!" Suga leapt to his feet. "You tell me not to give up and then you say _that_!"

"It's too dark! We can't see a thing!"

"Our eyes have adjusted!"

"It doesn't matter! We can pick up again at first light tomorrow!"

"But what if he doesn't last through the night?!" The setter's eyes widened as soon as the words left his mouth. A tense silence filled the room quickly after. "S-Sawamaru, I'm sorry-"

"Shh."

"I really am! I just-"

"No, I mean shush!" He hissed, earning a confused frown from his companion.

"What is it-"

"Can't you hear it?"

Suga's frown deepened. "Hear what?"

"It…sounds like someone's whispering."

"No-one's whispering, Daichi. You're probably just tired."

"No, I heard it!"

The ashen-haired third-year shook his head. "You probably just heard the wind."

"There it is again!"

This time, Suga _did_ hear something faint. "Okay, I heard something just then, but it was probably-"

"-Noya!" Daichi finished.

"-the wind." The vice-captain frowned at his friend. "Daichi, it wasn't-"

"It _has_ to be! Everyone's out except one person! I mean sure, Yamaguchi looked bad and Kinoshita seemed to be asleep or something, but everyone's out except Noya! It's _gotta_ be him!"

Suga flinched at the mention of Kinoshita. "Listen-"

"Please Koushi; just trust me."

"You know already that I trust you. But even if it _is_ Nishinoya, we can't search for him if we haven't already found him. He could be hidden and that's why we couldn't find him before."

"I know, but I think I have an idea where he might be now I've heard him whispering."

"It might not be him whispering, Daichi. Don't get your hopes up too high."

"I know, just…follow me, okay?"

Suga smiled. "Lead the way."

The captain wasted no time in heading confidently in a certain direction as if he had a map of the wrecked vessel imprinted in his mind. _He might have seen a map of the yacht before the crash,_ Suga thought as he rounded another corner.

In just under five minutes, a shout of "Here!" startled the setter and made him crash into Daichi's back.

"H-huh?" Suga blinked in confusion as he moved to stand next to his fellow third-year. They were stood before an unmarked door and appeared to be on possibly the lowest level of the boat. The whispers (he was now certain it came from a person and not the wind) seemed to have increased in volume, and he supposed there was some sort of echo in the room.

"I think he's in here." Daichi announced, moving a tentative hand towards the door, which appeared to be open a crack.

"How are you so sure?"

"Because Ukai showed me a map of the boat in case of an emergency. I sent Nishinoya to look for a bucket, and this is the cleaning room. There was a plaque either on or next to the door, but I'm not sure where it is now."

"Okay then. But it's pitch black in there. I can tell just by the tiny crack in the doorway. How are we gonna see him?"

"It's like what you said; our eyes have adjusted. It can't be much darker than where we are right now. Come on; let's go." With that, he pushed open the door, both teens shivering slightly at the slow, ominous creak that seemed to echo around them as the door opened, revealing an almost completely destroyed room. Mops and brooms were snapped many times over, and luckily, there wasn't a window, otherwise the tiny room would be a lot more dangerous. The floor was ripped up and the outer wall was almost non-existent, as it seemed that the crash had ripped it off.

Fortunately, the ceiling was in one piece – for the most part, at least. A large support beam had a chunk of it missing – yet was still able to hold up the ceiling, surprisingly – and the other three walls had holes and cracks in them (and some of them stretched up to the ceiling).

The whispers had stopped, and as Daichi and Suga peered through the darkness, they heard another sound. Gentle waves, lapping at… _something_ , 'cause it sure as hell didn't sound like sand.

"Is it…high tide? Is water coming in via the ruined outer wall?" Suga wondered aloud.

"I think so." Daichi murmured. "N-Noya? Are you in here?" There was no reply.

"Nishinoya? Please answer if you can hear us!" The setter tried.

"…Ngh…" It was small, but definitely there.

"Noya? Is that you?" The captain called as he approached the location of the sound.

"…D-Dai…" Yes! It was Nishinoya! However, his voice was way too weak and tired for either of their likings.

"Just hang on, okay?" Suga crouched beside what looked like a small, fallen cabinet of cleaning supplies, and began slowly moving them aside with his good hand. He managed to avoid getting cut by the glass of the cabinet doors, which had shattered, as he aimed to clear away the cleaning supplies and move the cabinet out of the way. It was easier said than done.

"What are you doing?" Daichi asked as he crouched beside his friend.

"He's close; I can feel it." The ashen-haired setter replied as he completed his task of moving the supplies away. "If I can just move this cabinet, then I think we'll see him."

"You think he's under here?"

He shrugged. "Possibly. But it's a start."

"Let me help."

Suga sighed, figuring that that would happen. "Fine, just…be careful."

Nodding, Daichi placed his uninjured hand under the cabinet, the vice-captain doing the same, and together they lifted the relatively light object up, before slowly moving it to rest against the nearest wall.

Now the piece of furniture was out the way, both third-years caught a glimpse of something that filled them with dread and relief at the same time.

Blood.

Suga suddenly felt light-headed. He followed a trail of blood that seemed to be illuminated until he saw…

…a hand.

"Yuu!" He yelled, crashing to his knees in beside the hand, which he now realised was a left hand. There was an upturned box of rags and towels that seemed to cover the owner of the hand, and Suga wasted no time in throwing them all over the place (one consequently hitting Daichi in the face) in order to get to his underclassman.

An arm appeared, followed by two legs, a chest, another arm and a head. The setter continued to clear the body of rags and towels until there weren't any left. As the vice-captain took in the sight of his second-year friend and teammate, he felt slightly nauseous.

"U-uh…I found the rest of that s-support beam…" He murmured, catching Daichi's attention.

"You did? Where- oh my God…" He breathed as he caught sight of Nishinoya.

The libero's body was laced with cuts, none which seemed too deep, and the third-years assumed they came from the glass. There was one on his right cheek which had soaked that part of his face in blood, and the seawater was able to hit his right arm and leg.

But that wasn't what scared them the most.

It was where the rest of the support beam had ended up.

Suga couldn't see the skin on Nishinoya's stomach as it was covered in blood. The piece of metal, resembling a pipe, had struck the left side of his lower torso, effectively 'impaling' him, as a way of saying it. There was enough blood that it made a puddle which almost came up to the top of Suga's knee as he knelt.

"N-Noya…" His voice cracked and wavered and tears threatened to spill. Even though it was dark, the setter could clearly see that the libero was unhealthily pale. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his fingers dug into the floor.

"S-Su…ga…?" Noya opened one eye and looked up at both third-years. The vice-captain winced at the pain that filled his eye.

"Shh, don't talk. Save your strength." Daichi commanded as he checked the small teen's body for any other injuries that weren't already noted.

He chuckled weakly, ending in a bout of harsh coughing, which caused a trickle of blood to escape his body via the side of his mouth. "Th-that's…such a…cl…cliché th-thing…" Each word was forced out almost painfully so.

"It's okay. You'll be okay. You're not going to die, you hear?! You're not!" Daichi was shouting at this point, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"I-I…have…no in…tention…of d-dying…"

Suga sighed in relief. _At least he wants to fight,_ he thought, _if he'd given up…_

"Suga, we need to take the metal out." Daichi whispered, pulling his friend aside.

"Wh-what?! No, he'll bleed to death!" Suga hissed.

"We don't have a choice! The longer it stays in him, the higher the risk of blood poisoning gets."

"I know, but…" He trailed off, eyes straying to Nishinoya. They quickly narrowed in concern. "Noya?" He got no response.

Wasting no time, Sugawara joined the second-year's side and gently shook his shoulder. His head was tilted to the side, and his mouth was slightly open. His entire body was lax. "N-Noya?" Daichi called, leaning over Suga's shoulder.

"Is he…" The setter trailed off as he leant close to Noya's face. "D-Daichi…"

"What?"

"…Is he breathing?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ahahahaha no. I'm mean.
> 
> Oh, and of course, something you should know about me: in a tragedy story like this, the character who's found last is probably the most seriously injured. So to all those out there who were like 'oh author-chan, please be nice to Noya-senpai', well…I give you permission to throw a trolley at my face. 'Cause I'm a cabbage and a horrible person who likes to make lovely, innocent characters suffer.
> 
> Also, I'm off school for two weeks (hooray for half-term and Easter!) so the next update should be quicker. Hopefully.
> 
> Right well, I'll shut up now.
> 
> Bye~


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ah yes, the spawn of Satan's back, and bringing you another chapter of suffering because I am the devil's daughter (what? You can't deny it). And yes, this is late as hell. From now on, when I say 'next update should be quicker', don't believe it. I get distracted, then hey ho, it's twelve days 'til the next update.
> 
> Also, this may be kind of a spoiler but I will tell you this: Nishinoya does not die. Considering he's one of my favourite Haikyuu characters, I don't want to kill him. Just make him suffer, that's all. So rest assured, he will remain alive~
> 
> Anyway, I'll let you guys hate me more. On with the chapter!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

"He…what?" Daichi couldn't seem to breathe. _Did I hear that right?_

"Wait- oh, thank God." Sugawara exhaled with relief. "He is, but it's shallow. We need to get him to the others. Ukai'll know what to do, hopefully."

"But…what about his stomach?"

The setter bit his lip. "I'm…not sure, but I think we should remove it now."

Daichi's eyes widened incredulously. "You can't be serious! He'd bleed to death!"

"He'll be easier to carry!"

"It'll only make things worse!"

"It's the only way, unless you want to risk driving it further in or getting it stuck at an angle." Suga's voice softened as he spoke, and he couldn't meet his friend's eye. "If it punctures one of his organs, it'll be all over."

"I know, but he's already lost enough blood as it is. If he loses any more…the effects could be disastrous."

"So either way, there's a risk of death."

"There's always a risk of death. It's something which is inevitable and unavoidable, in the end." The captain paused for a moment, but continued as he noticed his friend opening his mouth to say something, "We will all die at some point. Did you know? Every second that goes by is another second closer to our death. Except, we don't know how many seconds we have left. Despite this, I will assure you that although Noya may come _close_ to death, he will _not_ die. I won't allow it, as his captain, as his upperclassman, and as his _friend_."

Suga didn't reply for a moment, instead opting to gaze thoughtfully at Nishinoya. "We have no time to ponder the pros and cons of either option. We must decide one of our two choices which have a near equal risk _now_ , lest his condition worsen in the time wasted with arguments. What say you?"

Daichi inhaled deeply, before answering, "The others' reactions would be considerably worse if we brought the offending object with us. There are plenty of towels and rags – though I would prefer to use the former more than the latter – around us to use for binding his wound."

The ashen-haired third-year nodded, seemingly relieved by the captain's reply. "I'll apply the pressure with one of the towels if you remove the metal."

"Yeah, I can do that." He then leant closer to Nishinoya. "You hear that? I'm gonna get it out of you. Just stay strong, okay?" He got no response, although the pace in his breathing seemed to slow a bit.

It didn't take long for Suga to prepare a clean, dry towel. The majority of the towels were plain white, which would make the blood show that much clearer. Neither teens were sure on whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. Daichi has his good hand on the metal to test his grip, and discovered that it was fairly slippery. If he made too strong a movement, then he could risk damaging Noya more than helping him.

"Suga, I'll need you to hold him down. Can you do it with one hand?"

"'Course. Should I hold his stomach down, or his head?"

"Uh…stomach. Don't want it to move too much."

"If you're sure." Suga shrugged as he put the towel beside him on the floor and placed his good hand on Nishinoya's stomach, just next to the wound.

"You ready? One, two-"

"S'gonna hurt, innit?" The sudden voice startled them both, and they stared in unison as Noya slowly opened his eyes. He seemed disorientated, much to their despair.

"N-Noya! I didn't expect you to wake so soon!" Suga cried, sounding relieved as well as scared.

Weakly, the second-year grinned. "Sleep can't keep me down!"

"How do you feel?" Daichi asked, although he quickly berated himself for asking such a ridiculous question. _He's not going to say 'fine', is he?!_ He thought.

"Fine."

The captain could've facepalmed, were his unbroken hand not preoccupied. "If _you're_ fine, then I must be an overdramatic drama queen."

Suga frowned. "But you haven't really complained about your arm." Before his friend could respond, he added, "And for the love of _God_ Noya, you are _not_ fine."

Daichi chuckled quietly, before readjusting his grip on the metal.

"Wh-what are you gonna do?!" The libero exclaimed, panic evident in his wide eyes.

The faint smile on the captain's lips quickly slipped into a frown. _Did he just forget everything? I mean, he seemed to understand at first, what with what he said, so why is he…?_

"Uh…you know what we're going to do." Suga replied uncertainly.

"N-no! Let me go!" He began wriggling, which both third-years knew was _not_ beneficial to his stomach wound.

"Yuu! Keep still!" Daichi ordered in a stern, commanding tone, hoping that the pained second-year would hear and heed his words.

"Oh no…" Suga murmured.

"What?" The captain turned his attention to his ashen-haired friend, who had placed his – much to Daichi's anger – bad hand on Nishinoya's forehead. "Don't use that hand! You'll make it worse!"

"He's burning up." The setter bit his lip as his left hand fell down by his side. "We need to be quick. Nishinoya, please don't move."

"B-but-"

"No buts." Noya didn't argue any further, instead letting his body relax as he closed his eyes.

"Stay with us, Noya." Daichi urged, but got no response. "You ready, Suga? We need to be quick."

The vice-captain nodded. "Ready when you are."

He took a deep breath and counted to three in his head, before tightening his grip on the metal further and, in one swift move, pulled the entire thing out. This elicited a cry of pain from the libero, who started thrashing about, but Suga pressed down with the towel on his wound, which restricted movement in that section.

"Uh, I might be needing another towel soon…" He trailed off, and Daichi dropped the bloodied object in surprise.

"Wh-what?! Already?!" He stared in horror at the towel which was quickly becoming darker; this much he could tell, what with the lack of light.

"Yeah…quick!" Suga glanced at Noya's face, which was growing paler by the minute. He was quickly handed a new towel, and he swapped them.

"How long do you think it'll take to stop?" Daichi asked as he picked the metal up again.

The setter shrugged. "I don't know…soon, hopefully."

"Right. Back in a minute." The captain stood up, earning a confused look from his friend.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere."

"Uh…be back soon. I might need some help if he starts writhing."

"Yeah, I understand. I won't be long." With that, Daichi walked out of the room via the hole in the wall. He felt sand underfoot, and sighed.

Silently, the third-year walked to the edge of the sea, where the waves lapped at his feet. He sighed again. _If we weren't in a situation as…_ dire _as this, then I suppose I could enjoy the beach,_ he thought as he gazed at the dark horizon.

Moving his head upwards, he noticed all the stars above his head, and smiled softly. If only the moon was full – then, everyone would be able to see better. Alas, it was only a mere crescent in the sky – almost invisible to the passing eye.

He lifted his arm up to look at the metal object, which was still lazily dripping blood. _How easy, this life-giving liquid can be lost,_ he hummed as he turned his gaze back to the seemingly endless sea. Or was it an ocean? It was probably the latter, but it didn't matter. He preferred to label it 'the sea'; besides, who could scold him for it? His parents weren't there-

Daichi's breath hitched at that. His parents. Did they even know what had happened? Or were they getting on with their lives, expecting their son to be back soon, safe and sound? He swallowed a lump in his throat. He couldn't remember telling them what date he'd be back.

Taking a deep, wavering breath and blinking as his eyes began to sting, the third-year tried to tell which way was north, in an attempt to distract himself from his thoughts.

 _My underclassmen are depending on us third-years and Ukai to protect them and help them get through this. We're a team, after all._ His eyes widened as he suddenly realised something. _What about graduation? What if we don't make it to graduation, and we…?_

He shook his head furiously. _No, I can't think like that. I can't think_ about _that._

Daichi moved so that the object was against his lower arm. He gripped the end tightly with his hand – almost drawing blood – and shifted his body so he looked as if he were about to throw a javelin.

Almost robotically, he then took a step forward and brought his arm round, making sure the projectile moved away from his lower arm. With all his might, he threw the metal into the sea, feeling satisfied at the loud _splash_ that seemed to echo as the water's surface was disturbed.

 _There,_ he thought as he straightened, _it's gone. The thing that hurt one of us is gone._ He turned around and chuckled under his breath. _If only I could throw this yacht, as it hurt_ all _of us._

Shaking his head, he headed back inside, and found the situation unchanged.

"Daichi! 'Back in a minute' my ass!" Suga spat. "You were about _five_ minutes, at least! We're _losing_ him!"

"S-sorry Koushi, I was…busy."

"I could _see_ you, you know. Just standing about and staring at the sea isn't what I'd call 'busy'." Then his voice softened. "You were in some deep thought. Something bad, at a guess?"

Daichi rubbed the back of his head. "Y-yeah, something like that. Sorry-"

"Oh, stop apologizing. The bleeding's slowing down a bit, thank God. It's still going, though. I-I think he might-"

"No. He's not going to." The captain interrupted, before Suga could say the last word. He knew what it was going to be, anyway. "You said it's slowing, didn't you? It won't be much longer, then. He can't exactly have much more blood to lose."

"I really hope help comes soon."

"So do I. But I suppose, at the end of the day, all we have left to hold onto is hope." Daichi murmured as he knelt beside Nishinoya.

Suga hummed in agreement, and silence fell upon them.

* * *

True enough, the bleeding did stop not long after, much to both third-years' relief. They'd used about seven towels in all, and were just glad it was finally over. Now they could move the second-year out of the boat, and into the safety of the group.

"Let's head back, now. I'll carry him." Suga said.

"No. Not with your wrist."

"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow. "And you think your arm's much better? Besides, he's not exactly heavy. I can manage."

"It's too risky."

"You won't be able to carry _anything_ with that arm of yours, let alone a human boy."

Daichi sighed. "You have an argument for everything, don't you?"

"Yep." Suga grinned. "And I'm carrying him. End of discussion."

"I wouldn't call it a discussion…" He muttered under his breath.

Swiftly, the setter scooped Noya up into his arms, wincing at the sudden weight on his left wrist. Other than that, he showed no signs of pain or discomfort, and sent Daichi a smug look.

"Oh come on. Enough of your smugness." The captain elbowed him playfully in the ribs, and the pair set off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Meh, not much in the chapter, but for the first time in forever, I'm updating (reference intended). Nah, I'm messing.
> 
> Oh, and before you kill me for lack of…anything in this chapter, let me just say: I kept putting writing off in the half-term/Easter thingy because I found my Lego Lord of the Rings PS3 game, and I've been playing that. A lot. And screw PS4 'cause the PS3 is still my favourite.
> 
> Anyway, hopefully (and I do say hopefully) the next update will be quicker, and I'm not just saying that to mess with you. If it's not up in a week, I'll be sure to kick myself in the shins. Hard.
> 
> Bye~


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narita learns about Kinoshita's passing, and a meaningful conversation takes place between him and Ennoshita.
> 
> Also, Noya is brought back to the others, and a fire is finally lit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gah, I'm so sorry for being so late. Thanks for staying with me, though. I mean really, my 'at least one a week' policy has just gone out the window. April 14th to May 1st is just awful *le cri*
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

For the fifth time, Narita contemplated whether or not to go over to Ennoshita and Kinoshita. The latter was still unconscious, and Ennoshita was unnervingly still and quiet.

 _I should go check on them. Just to make sure they're okay and all,_ he thought as he stood up, wincing slightly as his ribs complained and thankful that Suga wasn't there to chastise him again for moving.

Walking slowly, the second-year made his way over to his close friends, and swallowed nervously when Ennoshita made no recognition of him being there.

"Uh…hey, guys. Ennoshita, is Kinoshita okay? He seems to have quite a nasty chest wound, and I don't understand why he's not waking up. I mean, there's no way he could be dead, right?" He was only met with silence. "Right?" Still nothing. "Please, talk to me! Tell me he's alright! Tell me he's alive! Tell me he's not-"

"-dead? Is that what you were going to say?" Ennoshita suddenly snapped, raising his gaze from the sand to bore into Narita's eyes. "You think death is merely a concept? A dream? Something that just _can't_ become our reality because we're _high schoolers,_ and we shouldn't have to deal with the _death_ of our _friends_ at such a _young age_?!"

Narita opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. Why had his fellow second-year snapped at him in such an uncharacteristic way? "I-I…"

"What? You gonna apologise?" He laughed humourlessly. He sounded…hollow. "To me? Or to him?"

"T-to both of you, I guess…" He replied uncertainly.

"Apologise all you want to Hisashi. It won't bring him back."

"'Bring him back'…? Y-you don't mean…?" He was physically unable to finish his question, but Ennoshita understood where Narita was going.

The dark-haired wing spiker's gaze dropped to the ground again. "Why would I lie about something like that?" He sighed. "N-Narita, I'm sorry…" He trailed off, feeling ashamed.

"N-no, it's fine. I'm uh…sorry for…"

"Why are you apologising?" Ennoshita raised his head again to lock eyes with his friend.

"Um…because…" _Honestly, I have no idea,_ he thought as he looked around at anything but his fellow second-years.

"You have no reason to apologise. I was just…I took my pent-up frustration and grief out on you, and I shouldn't have. Could you ever forgive me?"

Narita sat on his knees and embraced his friend in a tight hug. "Of course I can, Chikara. I…I don't know what to say, though. H-how…?"

"H-he-" Ennoshita swallowed, his throat closing up with emotion, "he d-died saving Ukai."

"…"

"He wasn't a coward! H-he was-"

"-a hero until the end."

The wing spiker couldn't speak, so he nodded instead.

"Saved the life of another at the cost of his own life. True bravery."

"Y-yeah."

Narita hoped his voice sounded strong, and didn't waver as he spoke. "I-I'm proud of him. Aren't you?"

"O-of course I am! It's just…why did it have to happen? Why him?"

The middle blocker ran a hand through his friend's hair in a comforting gesture. "Every time someone's life ends, another book closes. Quite a few have beautiful endings. However, some stories are left unfinished. Some are left on cliffhangers. The only person who can ever finish that story, the only author that can finish their book, is no longer amongst us. You can read the book over and over again, but you'll never find out what happens next. Your imagination is the only thing that can help you, but everything you imagine will never be the ending it was supposed to be."

Ennoshita was silent, so Narita kept going.

"K-Kinoshita's book was short, but emotional and-and a great read. 'The Story of Kinoshita Hisashi'. Yeah…a magnificent story. Don't you agree?"

The wing spiker smiled sadly and nodded. "Yeah. D-do I get a copy?"

"Everyone that knew him gets a copy. But not a material copy." The second-year placed a hand over his bandaged chest – over his heart. "It's in here. Also," his hand then moved to point at his head, "it's in here. Never forgotten."

"K-Kazuhito, that was…"

"O-oh!" Narita's eyes widened when he noticed Ennoshita was crying. "S-sorry, I-"

"…absolutely beautiful. Thank you. I really needed that."

"Any time. I think I needed it as well." The two never broke their hug, instead letting their hearts weep.

* * *

Asahi listened to the exchange between the two friends, and started crying at the end. "Th-that was just…s-so sad…"

Kiyoko smiled at him sympathetically. "I know. This hit us all hard."

"I-it's just…he was one of us, and now he's…"

"Yeah. We'll miss him dearly."

"C-can you imagine his parents' reactions? They'll be distraught!" He looked down. "This was supposed to be a leisurely boat trip. Not… _this_."

Kiyoko reached forward and placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry; we'll get through this."

"But one of us didn't. Wh-what if the others fall?" The third-year gazed at Yamaguchi's still figure. "I'm especially worried about Yamaguchi."

"His back wound _was_ pretty bad, but-"

"Not just that!" Asahi blushed, embarrassed by his little outburst. "I-I saw his eye. Before I bandaged it, I-I saw it." He swallowed, staring at the sand. "He was so scared when he first woke up. I-it was awful." He sighed. "I should never have said _that_ to him," he chastised himself.

"Said what?" The manager asked, frowning in confusion.

"I-I told him that it looked like something went in his eye, and after that he seemed really self-conscious. He even said, 'it's disgusting, isn't it?'. I didn't know how to reply to that. I _didn't_ reply to that. I think that only made things worse. B-but I just…I didn't know what to say. If I said yes, he'd be depressed. If I said no, he'd think I was lying just to spare his feelings. S-so…what would you have done, Kiyoko?"

She didn't reply immediately, but then answered, "I would have said 'who cares if it is or not? What happened couldn't have been helped. Besides, who would dare say something like that, considering the situation? We all need to stick together; we can't afford to fall out with people or hurt people's feelings'."

"Th-that's actually a very smart thing to say. I should have said that."

"You didn't have much time to think. Don't beat yourself up about it."

He chuckled. "Y-yeah." There was a short silence, before he spoke up again. "Hey, Kiyoko?"

"Hmm?"

"I-" He was cut off by a shout.

"UKAI!"

Turning his head, Asahi peered into the darkness in the direction of the voice, and quickly made out the forms of Daichi and Sugawara hurrying towards them. The latter had something in his arms…Noya!

The third-year sighed in relief. _They found him,_ he thought, _everyone's here now. There's no-one left in the cursed boat._

However, his relief was short-lived as a strong waft of a metallic smell hit his nose. _I know this smell…it still lingers on Kinoshita, and it clings to us weakly. But…does that mean that Noya's…?_

Getting to his feet, Asahi limped over, grateful that his ankle didn't protest as strongly as before. "What happened?" He asked as soon as he was close enough. Daichi and Ukai were hurriedly whispering between themselves, and Suga looked worried.

"Nishinoya's hurt. Really bad." The setter replied simply, shifting his weight onto his other foot, and then back again.

Asahi's eyes widened. _Noya's hurt…really bad? N-no, this can't be. Wh-what if he dies? Please, don't let us lose another friend,_ he begged to whatever God was listening.

At that moment, Ukai came closer, and addressed them both. "Listen, we need to set him down. I need some light to help me see the extent of his injury, but we obviously don't have that luxury right now. If only I had my lighter…"

Suddenly, something fell out of Noya's trouser pocket, and landed on the coach's foot. Confused, he picked it up, and looked at it, before saying, "Huh. I have my lighter now."

"Wait, seriously?" Daichi frowned, and Ukai held the object out to him. "Oh; so you do. How wonderfully convenient."

"I'll go light that bloody fire before another argument about 'using the force' starts up again." With that, he walked over to the pile of sticks and dry leaves, and hoped that his lighter would still work.

It only took a couple tries for the little flame to appear, and the blonde sighed with relief. He crouched down and placed the object next to the nearest stick, and was pleased when it quickly caught fire.

"Wha- _oh my Goooood!"_ Hinata suddenly yelled. "Kageyama. _Kageyama._ I just used the force. _The force_."

"I thought the force was more telekinesis than pyromancy." Said first-year replied.

"Well, it comes in many different forms. My hair's like, the colour of fire, so I can make fires appear via the force!"

"If the power is due to hair colour, then what would I be? And if you say something mean, I'll sneeze on you."

Hinata stared at Kageyama's hair thoughtfully, before saying, "You would be a necromancer. You'd use the force to bend shadows to your will and make quick exits when you're sulking."

"I-I don't sulk!"

"Suuuure. And I'm totally _not_ awesome on the court."

"Well…"

"Don't even go there. I will set your sulky hair alight with the force."

"How can hair even sulk?! You make no sense!"

"Your face makes no sense!"

"That doesn't make any sense!"

" _Life_ doesn't make any sense!"

"Wh- actually, I can't argue with that."

"Ooh, ooh, make shadows move!"

"I _can't_!"

"You _can_! Use the powers of the force!"

"Guys, you're completely butchering the force!" Ukai yelled as he straightened up from the quickly spreading fire. "You're ruining Star Wars for everyone, so for the love of God, _shut up_ about the force!" He sighed, before adding, "I used a lighter to start the fire. Hinata, you did nothing except look ridiculous."

"I'll set Luke Skywalker on you if you don't take that back!"

Ukai looked the middle blocker right in the eye. "No, you won't. Because, although this pains me to say it, Luke Skywalker is not a real person."

"Right, that's it. I'm calling Leia. She's a badass, and she'll sort you out. You just insulted the entire galaxy."

"You know what, I'm not even going to continue this argument. I'm leaving." The coach turned and began to walk away, ignoring the triumphant shout of 'ha! He's afraid of Leia'.

"Ukai! You lit a fire!" Suga exclaimed, sounding relieved.

"That I did. I would suggest bringing Nishinoya as close as possible to the fire. I need as much light as possible. Bring Yamaguchi close to the fire, too. I want one person next to him only. Everyone else, don't go too close to the fire, but stay warm. Don't crowd me, Noya or Yamaguchi." He didn't have to raise his voice so the others could hear; they were listening to every word.

"D-do you want to use my jacket to put Yuu on?" Asahi asked, wanting to do anything to help his friend.

Daichi turned to him. "You would? Thanks!"

The taller third-year nodded and took off the article of clothing, before spreading it on the sand close to the fire like a picnic blanket.

Giving him a grateful smile, Suga laid the second-year down on the jacket, which left his feet and tops of his head just off it. Other than that, it was the perfect size.

"Yuu!" Out of nowhere, Tanaka came stumbling up to them. "Yuu! Is he al-alright?"

"Uh…" Asahi didn't know how to respond, considering he didn't really know how his friend was doing himself.

"Honestly, he isn't doing so good, Tanaka." Suga replied instead. "He's lost a lot of blood, and it's a bad wound." His voice may come off as blunt at first, but he was extremely concerned for the wellbeing of the team's only libero.

"O-oh…" The second-year looked down, swaying for a moment.

"You seem a bit better, at least." Suga stated in an attempt to distract him from Nishinoya.

"Yeah, I-I guess…still dizz-zy though."

"You should sit down. You don't want to exert yourself while you're recovering." The third-year ushered Tanaka to sit down by the fire, next to Kageyama.

Ukai slowly took Noya's shirt off, having to rip it in half down the front and carefully tugging it out from under him. When that was done, he studied the wound, trying not to flinch. It was deep, and looked like he had been stabbed, which, according to Daichi's hurried whispers, was what had happened. There was a lot of blood, most of which had dried and seemingly painted Nishinoya's skin red, and there was strange red marks around the wound.

 _What do those marks mean?_ He thought as he took a deep breath. _Either way, this needs cleaning first. But there isn't any fresh water, considering the bucketful which Narita and Yachi collected is bloody…_

"Guys! I need some more water! Can anyone go and get some?" He asked, addressing the teens. As much as he wanted to go, he'd be slowed down by his foot and, not to mention, he didn't want to leave Noya's side in case anything bad happened.

"I'll go." Asahi replied almost immediately.

"No way. You wouldn't survive." Suga shot down his idea.

"I'm not _that_ clumsy."

"No, I mean you'd get so scared you'd probably run around, get lost, and then be attacked or something. Not to mention your ankle might buckle and leave you stranded out there."

"O-oh."

"I'll g-go!" Tanaka piped up.

"No way!" About five different people exclaimed in unison.

"You must be crazy!" Ukai cried. "You can't go venturing into a jungle at night with a _concussion_!"

"W-well-"

" _No_!"

"I want to go." Asahi spoke up again, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I want to help him."

"But-" Suga began, but was cut off.

"I'll go with him." Yachi stood up.

"Yachi, you've already gone once. Save your strength." Suga objected.

"But _I've already gone once._ I know the way."

"You're not the only one who knows the way." The third-year argued.

"That's true, but you're tired – I can tell, don't bother lying – and Narita's not fit to go, both physically and emotionally. He's…still getting over…"

"I understand where you're coming from, but still…" Suga sighed in defeat. "Fine. Be quick, be quiet, and _be safe_. If I see so much as a _scratch_ on either of you…"

"Don't worry; we'll be fine. Besides, my ankle doesn't hurt as much now."

"Long-term damage." He stated bluntly.

"That won't happen."

"Don't underestimate fate."

"That rhymes. And trust me; I'll be fine."

The vice-captain sighed. "Alright then. Good luck, you two."

The third-year and the first-year nodded and grabbed the bucket, before setting off into the pitch-black jungle, making sure to empty the bucket somewhere not so easily noticeable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Not much happening again, but that convo between Narita and Ennoshita needed to happen. I got a little bit of writer's block for some reason, but I should be back to normal soon (hopefully).
> 
> Anyway, I'll see you in the next chapter, with less force and more angst (possibly).
> 
> Bye~


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi has a nightmare, but Tsukishima's there to wake him up.
> 
> Asahi and Yachi find the precious water source and Asahi must clean the blood of his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Yamaguchi had fallen into a fitful slumber not long before Sugawara and Daichi had brought Nishinoya to the beach. He just couldn't remain awake any longer, and had succumbed to the powerful lull of sleep.

Tsukishima stayed faithfully by his side, not caring if the others thought he was actually a softie or something on the inside. Why should he care what they think about him? His friend was hurt – badly, at that – so he had every right to be faithful and caring. After all, if he didn't, then what sort of friend was he?

Despite this, he had felt hesitant about moving Yamaguchi closer to the fire. He was glad he did though; now he wasn't shivering as much. He didn't want to move him originally because the bleeding might start again; luckily it didn't, but it was still a possibility.

Sighing, Tsukishima glanced around him. The light from the fire offered light for a few metres or so in every direction from it, but further out was just darkness. He was surprised Yachi and Asahi actually went – he figured they would run back, scared half to death. However, it seemed they'd proved him wrong. They'd been gone for about ten minutes, and hadn't shown any signs of coming back yet. _Maybe I underestimated their levels of courage,_ he thought as he cast a glance in the direction they'd left in.

Although he'd never admit it, the tall blonde was relieved that a fire had finally been lit. It wasn't that he was scared of the dark – he doubted anyone there was actually afraid of it – but he much preferred having light when it comes to being stuck in an unfamiliar place at night. The sky was quite cloudy by now, and no matter how much his eyes adjusted to the dark, he still couldn't see enough to get round. But when the flames blazed into life, he felt a lot of paranoia suddenly dissipate into the air, as if it were a clingy gas obscuring his vision.

His thoughts briefly wandered back to his parents, and his older brother. Did they know he was stuck here? Had they tried calling him, only to realise that he never answered? His eyes narrowed at that thought. He was fairly attached to his phone, and he remembered having it on the yacht – in his pocket, to be precise. God only knows where it was now. Had it hurled itself into the sea? Or was it lying, in a thousand pieces, in the wreckage? Perhaps it was even hidden away somewhere on the boat in pristine condition, just waiting for him to find it. Who knows?

Shaking his head, Tsukishima brought his mind away from those thoughts. He knew where they would lead; and he didn't _want_ to be led there. Not to the thoughts that would cause a lump to form in his throat. Not to the thoughts that would create awful scenarios of the near future. Not to the thoughts that would make him worry even more for those around him, especially Yamaguchi…

Growling quietly in his throat, the first-year jerked his head away from the sleeping pinch server, as his eyes had been slowly trailing towards him. Instead, he gazed at Nishinoya, who was laid on Asahi's jacket. Tsukishima could easily tell that the second-year wasn't merely suffering from a major injury – there was something else, something that may not have caught the eye of the others…but what was it?

Shrugging, the blonde took his glasses off and stared intently at them. They were surprisingly clean for the most part, save for the occasional speck of dust on the lenses. The thing that bothered him the most was a small spider-web style series of cracks in the left lens, as if someone had pressed their finger to the glass and applied pressure. What he found annoying about it was that his vision in his left eye was messed up because of the small cracks in the glass. It may look minor to an outsider, but to him, it was one of the most obvious things in the world, especially when he's trying to focus on something and half his vision is being weird.

 _I don't know where I am. What is this place? I don't know it. It's so cold. I can feel this vicious wind, biting me. But it's just so dark. I can't see a thing. Should I run, or stay here? Is it dangerous to remain here, or dangerous to venture onwards? I reach my hand out, into the darkness before me, trying to reach something…but there's nothing. Just the wind latching onto my skin. Hang on; where're my clothes? I swear I was wearing some before. But what do I mean by before? Before I arrived here? But where_ was _I before this? Suddenly, the wind picks up to an incredible level and I can't supress a shudder that envelopes me. It seems like the temperature has dropped even more, and I release a high-pitched whine of discomfort._

Tsukishima involuntarily flinched when a full-body shudder passed through Yamaguchi, followed by a high-pitched whine. He frowned in concern as the shorter teen tensed up, an uncomfortable crease appearing between his eyebrows. Reaching out, the middle blocker placed a hand on his friend's bare shoulder reassuringly, mildly surprised when the latter flinched and jerked away slightly.

Determined, he repeated the action, this time adding a little shake, knowing that eventually Yamaguchi would give in and find peace. Or wake up. Hopefully both.

_Something's shaking me. What is it? Is it the wind? Is nature really that strong, that it's about to bowl me over as if I'm weightless? As if I'm a mere obstacle in its destructive path? I squirm about, trying to escape this…this…what is it again? Ah yes! The wind! But I really do wonder: is it actually the wind? It feels more like an invisible hand, reaching out and digging tis nails into my flesh…this thought only increases my wriggles for freedom as fear sets in._

Tsukishima grumbled under his breath as Yamaguchi began squirming in an attempt to escape something – his hand, presumably. He retracted said body part and felt utterly helpless as the pinch server started making choking noises, as if something was filling his lungs. But the only thing filling his lungs was air, so the bespectacled first-year didn't understand how he could help a friend who was convinced he was suffocating.

 _I can't breathe. I try, but I fail. It's everywhere. It's surrounding me. It's_ sticking _to me. It's truly disgusting. And it's none other than blood. But not just any blood._ My _blood. It's running down my right eye like a river, flooding my senses with its metallic scent and taste. It enters my mouths, fills my nose, and I feel an overwhelming urge to gag. But I can't, because then I'd waste what little air I'm being left with. It gushes out of my back as if I have no skin; as if I have nothing to keep it in my body. It just leaves, falling to the floor and rising. Yes,_ rising. _Up, up, up it goes, constantly growing and engulfing me as if I am in a sealed glass box. But I can't be, right? I mean, I reached my hand out, and there was nothing there._

By now, Yamaguchi's struggle for breath had reached the ears of everyone save for Nishinoya. Even Ennoshita and Narita had glanced around in confusion. Tsukishima mentally cursed, deciding to take a more drastic measure.

Practically springing forward, he placed both hands on either shoulder of the shorter teen and shook him vigorously.

"Oi!" He hissed in Yamaguchi's ear. "Breathe!"

 _Oh, would you look at that. The wind (or would it be the blood?) is now talking to me. Telling someone to breathe while you're choking them sure is ironic. Maybe I would be able to breathe if there wasn't so much blood in my lungs. Ever think of that? No, of course not. Blood can't think. Nor can wind. Speaking of, I can't seem to feel the wind anymore. I'm curious now. Should I reach my hand out again? Well, it certainly won't hurt to try. Sure, it's a bit hard to manoeuvre my hand through this sticky blood, but I manage it, and I'm shocked to find that there's suddenly a giant pane of glass there. So that means I probably_ am _in a box of sorts. But how did it get there?_

Nothing was working. Yamaguchi just _wouldn't breathe._ Under normal circumstances (also known as the other actually being awake), he would call them stubborn, but Tsukishima wasn't stupid. He knew that the first-year's nightmare was preventing him from breathing in real life – or rather, it was convincing him that he couldn't breathe in the dream, which was affecting him in reality.

" _Stop it!"_ A sudden shout rang out, startling the blonde. Glancing up, he tried to work out who had spoken. _"Just stop! Shut up!"_

Tsukishima's eyes narrowed in confusion and anger as he realised that Hinata was the one yelling. _Why are you yelling at him?_ He thought, unable to understand. _He can't help it, for God's sake! He just_ won't _wake up! Or rather, he_ can't _wake up!_

"What's the matter, Hinata?" Kiyoko asked suddenly, sounding concerned for him.

The short first-year shook his head, his hands gripping either side of his head. " _Just stop! Please!"_

The bespectacled blonde frowned at him, but turned his attention back to his friend. "Tadashi! You're okay, just breathe! And wake up while you're at it!"

This time, his words seemed to have the desired effect, as Yamaguchi's left eye slowly opened. Once he became aware of his surroundings, and aware that he could breathe, he began hungrily sucking in air, and coughing at the same time, which really wasn't helpful.

Tsukishima sat back, wincing as his leg protested slightly, and sighed with relief. "Bloody hell, don't do that again, you hear? Y'know, you freaked Hinata out quite a bit, Tadashi."

Yamaguchi frowned at him and panted a bit. "F-freaked him o-out?"

" _Yamaguchi!"_ Hinata came running over suddenly, pouncing on the pinch server as he attempted to sit up, effectively sending him crashing back to the floor. _Well, saved me scolding him for trying to get up,_ Tsukishima thought as he backed up a bit so as to not get accidentally get kicked by Hinata. "Are you okay? You really scared us, especially me! The-the _noises_ you were making were awful, a-and I just couldn't deal with it, y'know? Don't _ever_ do that again!"

"H-Hinata, you're hurting m-me…" The dark-haired first-year murmured, his voice regaining strength with each passing moment.

"O-oh! Sorry!" Immediately, the middle blocker released Yamaguchi, who winced and moved slightly in an effort to be free of his pain. Luckily, he was still on his stomach, so Tsukishima had a clear view of the blood lazily trickling down his back.

"Look what you've done, you idiots!" He snapped although they all knew he didn't actually mean to sound so harsh. "You're bleeding again!"

Hinata's eyes widened as he caught sight of the life-giving liquid. "Oh my gosh, you actually are! I don't think it's a lot, though. It might even stop soon!"

"I have to agree with you there," Tsukishima mumbled, "it doesn't seem like a lot. Not to mention the fact that we can't exactly wash it away, given that the bucket is currently with Yachi and Asahi on their Bucket Adventures and the cloth ran away with them."

Yamaguchi chuckled weakly. "It's like how the dish ran away with the spoon, except this time it's actually really important things."

The blonde's nose wrinkled slightly. "Why are you mentioning nursery rhymes in this sort of situation?"

His friend shrugged, and immediately regretted it, which was evident by the string of muttered curses. "'Cause I can."

"You're hopeless." Tsukishima sighed, although he couldn't keep the faint smile from playing on his lips as he turned away.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yachi tried to suppress a shiver of fright as she and Asahi ventured deeper into the jungle. It was eerily silent, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid.

"S-so um…" she trailed off, wondering why she was even speaking. What was she trying to say?

"Y-yeah…it's uh…a bit spooky, huh?" Asahi replied nervously, sounding absolutely terrified.

"Y-you could say that…just uh…listen out for the sound of running water, okay? We should be there soon anyway."

"Okay." He opened his mouth to add something else, but shut it again. She chose not to ask what he was going to say.

Without warning, a hidden cricket released a loud chirp, which startled the pair so much that they let out rather high-pitched screeches and began running around in circles, flailing their arms about. Fortunately, the bucket remained in Yachi's grip. _Un_ fortunately, Asahi tripped over something (presumably a tree root jutting out the ground) and fell flat on his face. An audible 'ow' was heard.

"A-Asahi! Are you okay?!" Yachi cried as she knelt next to the third-year, who sat up clutching his nose. "Wh-what's the matter? Did you hurt your nose?"

"I-I think so…" His voice sounded odd, as if his nose was blocked or something. He squirmed suddenly, and Yachi noticed that his hand seemed darker than before, as if…

"You're bleeding!" She gasped, and was rewarded with a faint nod.

"I don't think it's that bad, though." He replied, tipping his head up as he didn't like the feeling of warm blood trickling down his lips. It made him want to lick his lips out of reflex – except then he would taste blood for quite a while.

"Still! Typical, we don't have any tissues. I don't trust the leaves. They might have leeches or something." Both teens paled at the idea of leeches anywhere near them, and they simultaneously shuffled closer to each other.

"It's only a minor nosebleed; don't worry, it'll be over soon." Asahi assured her as he switched hands.

Sure enough, the bleeding soon stopped after a couple of minutes, and they continued on in nervous silence. The pair were incredibly paranoid, and Yachi wished she had night-vision so she didn't have to stare into darkness, imagining something leaping out at her…

Swallowing, the first-year manager tried to forget that thought as her ears suddenly caught the sound of water. Asahi seemed to have noticed it too, as he sped up a bit.

As the third-year took the lead, Yachi noticed the slight limp in his step. True to his word, his ankle _had_ been getting better over time, but still…she wouldn't want him to make it worse. Despite this, she didn't voice her concerns aloud, hoping that he would have enough sense to be cautious. After all, he _was_ her upperclassman, so he should have known about this before her.

"Found it!" Asahi announced, seemingly to the clearing, as what little of the water source they could see came into sight.

"Great! Let me dip the bucket in to clean it, then fill it up. Oh! But can I carry it? Oh, what am I saying?! Of course I can carry it!" Yachi said to herself as she knelt on the bank and reached forward, keeping a tight grip on the bucket as she dipped it into the water. She couldn't see much, but she knew that the water would wash out the blood. Luckily, she remembered to take the cloth out and put it in her lap. _I can't forget to clean that too,_ she reminded herself as she turned the bucket round slowly, letting the water hit all sides of it.

Once she figured the blood would be all gone, she took the bucket out, emptied it of water further downstream, and then placed it back in, facing the current, so the water got trapped in the object. This task was quickly completed, and she took it out and placed it a little bit behind her, near where Asahi was currently sitting, subtly rubbing his ankle. Because it was dark and she was focused on her tasks, Yachi didn't notice this.

Taking a deep breath, the manager grabbed the cloth and dipped it in the water, making sure not to let go of it. She hoped that all the blood would come out quickly, as she wanted to get back to the others as soon as possible.

As if the Gods above heard her hope, the blood swiftly washed out, until she was left with a clean cloth.

"Wow. Blood sure is easy to clean off of handkerchiefs." Yachi remarked to herself.

"People our age shouldn't have to say things like that." Asahi mumbled.

"I-I know." She sighed, placed the cloth in the bucket, and stood up. "We should head back. We've been gone long enough."

"Yeah. Besides, I don't want to stay in this creepy jungle any longer. Oh, wait!" Suddenly remembering something, the third-year leapt forward and dipped his hands into the water, before using his fingers to scrub at his hands. "Remember what Suga said: 'if I see so much as a _scratch_ on either of you…'. I bet if he saw a speck of blood, he'd kill us, bring us back to life, and then kill us again."

Yachi chuckled. "I can't argue with that. Just…be quick, yeah? Oh, and don't forget to wash it off your face."

"I know, I know." He shook his hands as he brought them out of the water, before dipping his index and middle finger of his right hand into the water and rubbing at his face. It wasn't the greatest method of cleaning his face, but it was better than plunging his face into the cold, dark depths of the water – after all, _anything_ could be lurking in the water. "That should do, hopefully," he murmured to himself as he stood up, shaking his head and his hand to get rid of the water.

"Come on, then," Yachi turned and began walking away, "unless you want to hang out here."

Asahi chuckled. "I'd rather not, to be honest. Much prefer the light and warmth of a fire, personally."

"Yeah; I don't blame you. I'd prefer to be back at home, though…"

"I think we all want that, Yachi. But don't worry. Someone'll come. They'll save us. We just have to believe in our families and Takeda back at school."

"'Takeda'?" The blonde echoed, confused as to why he was being mentioned.

"I overheard Ukai say that he would text Takeda every evening assuring the safety of everyone and basically keeping him updated. Ukai hasn't texted him this evening, so…"

"Well, that may be true, but what if Takeda just thinks that he was too busy to get in touch?"

Asahi hummed thoughtfully, before replying, "Then we'll have to wait one more day. If Ukai hasn't texted two days in a row, and Takeda can't get a hold of him, then surely he'll be concerned and send a search party or something."

"Hopefully. Only one day, right?"

"…Honestly, I don't know. That's the bare minimum. I mean, sometimes Ukai _does_ forget things; it's only natural. He's human. But I'm just hoping Takeda has sharp instincts, and knows that something's up. Otherwise…"

"…we'll be stuck here a while." Yachi finished, looking down at the ground in defeat.

"B-but brighten up! I'm sure Takeda will…uh…get the army or something!"

The first-year chuckled. "'The army'? _Seriously_?"

"Well, yeah…I mean, I saw it on Jurassic Park 3…" Asahi trailed off, blushing.

"I thought you'd be scared of the Jurassic Park movies." She murmured aloud, stuttering an apology soon after.

"They're really good, actually. They _are_ scary at times, though…especially the Velociraptors."

The manager laughed. "Oh wow. I would have thought the T-Rex would be scary!"

"Ah, but the Velociraptors are _clever_. And I mean, like, _really_ clever. They can open doors!"

"Ooh, scary~"

"Haven't you watched them?"

"Mm...part of the first one."

"Aw, you need to watch them all!"

"Fine, fine, I will."

"Good." Asahi grinned. "Surprisingly enough, talking about Jurassic Park seems to make the journey shorter. Look; we're here already."

Sure enough, the light form the fire was quickly approaching, and they quickened their pace slightly, desperate to get back.

However, they soon walked right up to an argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ha, I updated within a week. Ah, I'm getting back into the story. Hooray~
> 
> I have an idea for the next chapter already (I think I deserve a cookie) so if life doesn't hate me that much, then I should be back again pretty soon.
> 
> Anyway, I don't have much else to say, except the part in italics at the start was Yamaguchi's nightmare. Just in case you didn't understand what the hell I was trying to accomplish there…


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a fierce argument, two people head into the yacht to retrieve cloths of great significance.
> 
> Also, Ennoshita tries to distract himself from his crushing loss, but his thoughts are his worst enemy. if things couldn't get any worse, someone unfamiliar appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: …I'm sorry. After reading Indigoblau's comment, I realised that I once again failed at life. I tried a language, I failed a language; but I won't give up on the language! Nope, 'cause I really like German and I enjoy learning it. Hopefully one day I won't disgrace the entire population of German-speaking people and say something that will be accurate. But I really do apologise for shaming you, dear readers, and I probably should be banned from butchering other languages *le cri*
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Ukai sighed as he ran a hand over his face again, wondering where he went wrong. All he said was that they needed something to bind Nishinoya's wound with, and now a massive argument had kicked off. _Why does life hate me so much? I can feel a headache coming on,_ he thought as he groaned, bringing his hands up to rub his temples.

He'd been good up til now. He'd successfully masked the majority of his pain and forced himself to balance his steps to hide his limp. So far, none of the teenagers ( _your_ _temporary charges_ , a voice in his mind reminded) had realised that the seemingly painless cut on his foot actually hurt like hell and every time he placed weight on it, it stung like a bi-

Sighing once more, he tried to focus on the argument, and somehow the topic had shifted to his own foot.

"We can't send Ukai out! His foot could die!" Sugawara argued, engaged in a staring contest with Daichi.

"Feet can't die!" Daichi countered. "And besides, if his foot hurt that bad, then Ukai would have _told_ us, _wouldn't_ you, Ukai?" He turned to the coach and raised an eyebrow.

Ukai equally raised an eyebrow. It seemed that respect had gone out the window in that moment. "It's fine, really. But I need to stay here and take care of him. Yamaguchi, too. And Ennoshita and Narita. And the fire. And-"

Suga raised a hand to cut him off. "Jeez, and you say _I_ take responsibility over everything," he mused as he glanced at the captain, before returning his attention to the adult. "I'm kinda tired, so I won't be able to go out, but I can stay here and look after everyone."

"We're not little children, Suga." Tsukishima muttered, loud enough for the third-year to hear.

"You get the idea. Ukai, are you tired? Does your foot hurt? If so, how badly? On a scale of one to ten, say?"

Ukai rolled his eyes teasingly. "Anyone would think that _you're_ the adult here," despite his remark, he contemplated whether or not to admit his pain to the others. "It doesn't hurt at all."

" _Liar_!" The setter yelled, pointing at him with his good hand. "It hurts; we both know that!"

"You can't possibly know that! It's not like you can sense other people's pain!" Ukai argued.

"Maybe not, but I can sense other people's lies, especially when they're desperately trying to hide something!"

Folding his arms, Ukai looked like a sulking child. "I'm not trying to desperately hide anything. I'm… _strategically_ trying to hide something."

"'Strategically' my ass! You can go shove your ridiculous arguments up your-"

" _Suga_!" Daichi cried, horrified as he darted towards Hinata to cover the innocent first-year's ears. " _Language_!"

Blushing in embarrassment and shame, Suga came to his senses and backed off form Ukai, mumbling apologies as looking at the ground.

Ukai let out a bark of laughter. "Good God kid, you've got ba-"

"Ukaiii…" Daichi murmured threateningly, glancing at Hinata, who looked confused and curious.

"Why are you covering my ears?" He asked, louder than necessary because his ears were covered. "I'm really curious now; what are you guys on about?"

" _Those two_ ," Daichi began, jerking his head in Ukai and Suga's direction, "are being rather _reckless_ with their choice of language."

"Hardly." The other two both chorused in unison.

"About what? I _really_ want to know now."

The captain looked about, uncomfortable with the situation. He didn't want to ruin the innocence of the first-year, so he instead replied, "Suga will explain it to you."

"What?! No way! Daichi can explain it!" The ashen-haired setter refused.

"Why?! I didn't say anything! _You_ were the worst; it's _your_ responsibility!" The brunette yelled.

"Ukai's the adult! _He_ should!"

"Don't drag _me_ into this!"

"Hey, are you ever going to get back to the _important_ topic that _matters_?" Kiyoko suddenly asked, an eyebrow raised and clearly not impressed with the side-tracking of the conversation.

"Oh, right." Suga rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Sighing, his gaze turned serious. "This _needs_ to be sorted out now. If Nishinoya's wound doesn't get cleaned and wrapped quickly, his health could take a nasty turn for the worse. Well, nast _ier_." He raised an eyebrow at Daichi, which was a silent command to continue.

"I second what Suga said. Asahi and Yachi- well, speak of the devils." Daichi smiled slightly as he glanced at the moving shadows that were approaching the fire.

"Um…is everything okay? We heard arguing, so uh…yeah…" Asahi seemed at a complete loss for what to say.

 _I'm not surprised; he's in a state of shock,_ Ukai mused to himself. _We all are. One person has died. Another is fighting for his life. And one more is seriously injured. Not to mention the survivors all bear injuries – some minor, some major – and our only way of getting home is destroyed. This isn't exactly an everyday situation._

"Oh, and one more thing: I'm going." Daichi announced, preparing himself for the powerful protest from the vice-captain.

" _What_?!" Sure enough, the aforementioned teen practically exploded with incredulity. "Are you having a _laugh_?! If you haven't noticed, your arm is _broken_! No way! Just no _way_ are you going into the death boat by yourself so – don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you!"

The captain sighed. "Listen, I'm going, and if anyone wants to come, they're welcome to. Except Suga. You're staying."

"I'll go." A slightly nasal voice surprised the third-years, who both turned to stare at Kageyama, who was getting to his feet. "I'll make sure nothing bad happens. Don't worry, Sugawara."

"Great! C'mon, then." Clapping the first-year on the back and grinning, Daichi led the way from the fire, not leaving Suga any chance to respond.

Nodding, the raven-haired setter followed him, glancing back almost nervously at his upperclassman, as if fearing a punishment of some sort.

"Are you scared of the dark, Kageyama?" Daichi asked as they left the range of hearing of the teens (and the adult) by the fire.

"No." He replied simply, leaving an awkward silence between the two. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, he added, "Are you?"

"No." Came the plain answer, and another silence drifted into existence. Unfortunately, at the same time, they both turned to the other person and said, "Hey-".

"Sorry." The pair apologised in unison.

"You first." Daichi indicated with his hand.

"No, you first." Kageyama insisted.

Smiling gently, the third-year began, "I'm just curious about something. You…don't know Noya very well, do you?"

Taken aback by the unexpected question, the first-year blinked for a few seconds, before replying slowly, "I know enough about him to get by, such as things to do with volleyball, and his love for being called 'senpai'. I know a couple of his likes and dislikes, but-"

Daichi raised his good hand to cut him off. "I didn't mean it like that." He was quiet for a short moment, before explaining, "I meant as in the fact that he hates being pampered; especially by his upper or underclassmen. He wants to appear strong, independent and trustworthy in front of those two groups of people – well, in front of anyone, really – but secretly, getting special attention, or knowing that one of his underclassman went to great lengths to help him, makes him really happy. _That's_ really what I meant. The personal things that you only know due to analysing or just being around someone enough. He would never tell anyone that, and he tries his best to hide it, but…it's obvious if you know him. So I'll reword the question. Do you Noya very well, in terms of the personal, or little, things that he never told you?"

"Uh…no, not really. I mean, I know he likes Kiyoko, but that's kind of obvious…"

The captain let out a hearty laugh. "I think _everyone_ knows that, to be honest. In fact, he'd probably tell someone that fact. But anyway…that leads onto my second question – which is more important."

"What is it?"

"If you don't really know him very well, why do you offer to come and find something that could end up saving his life?"

"Well," he hesitated, before carrying on, "many different reasons. One, I wasn't exactly doing anything better with my life except wallowing in self-pity and inwardly cursing my immune system. Two, I thought it was the right thing to do – you know, give the others a break and help a person in need. Three, he's a valuable member of the club, and irreplaceable. Also, he's my senior. What sort of underclassman would I be if I didn't help my upperclassman in his time of need?"

"I think it's the other way round, actually."

"Finally, I doubt we're close enough to be labelled as 'friends', but I…I don't want him to die." Kageyama swallowed, and Daichi knew that his throat had closed up with emotion.

"I see. Thank you; you've helped me understand your character a bit more." Before the setter could respond, Daichi declared their arrival at the yacht, and promptly entered.

Silently, the first-year followed, grateful that he wasn't leading the way. In complete darkness, it was almost impossible to navigate. Not to mention the fact that the journey was in a dangerous and probably unstable death boat.

Furrowing his brows, Kageyama wondered how Daichi would be able to find the cloths they so desperately needed. _Nishinoya might not live without them,_ he thought grimly, _and Yamaguchi could get worse without a proper binding. Everyone else, too. Doesn't Narita have those giant leaves or something round his ribs? I swear he does. But that's exactly my point. A lot of us need bindings; we_ all _need home._

Blinking, the raven-haired teen became aware of his surroundings and realised that he was in a small room. There seemed to be a tide rolling in lazily, and Daichi was crouched, muttering under his breath. Kageyama was surprised that he'd spaced out so long.

"Daichi?"

"Hmm?" Looking over his shoulder, the third-year seemed relieved. "Ah, you're back with us, eh? You were spaced out as soon as we entered. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you…do you need any help?"

"Yes. If we're not quick enough, the tide will claim them." Knowing what 'them' referred to, and their significance, Kageyama walked closer and bent down, rubbing the bottom of his nose. He fought back the urge to sneeze as he picked up an object on the floor, which he presumed was a cloth, and was awarded with a partially damp cloth.

 _The tide's closer than I thought,_ he mused as he shuffled backwards. Without warning, a sneeze escaped him, startling Daichi.

"Are you alright? I forgot you were ill. Do you need a lie-down?"

"No!" He almost snapped in reply, before apologising hurriedly, "Sorry. I'm fine, really. How many do we need?"

Quickly counting under his breath, the captain replied, "This should do it. I have seven. How many do you have?"

"Uh…" swiftly, Kageyama picked two more up, "three. That makes ten. Plenty, right? We should head back."

"I agree." Daichi rose to his feet. "Let's be off, then."

* * *

Ennoshita glanced towards the fire, away from his two closest friends. It was completely silent, save for the crackling of the fire the occasional pained whimpers of who he took to be Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. _Kinoshita will never make a pained whimper – or any noise – ever again-_

Shaking his head, the second-year willed the horrible thoughts to dissipate into the air. _I can't think like that,_ he thought, _because it won't help anyone._ Nothing _can help Kinoshita anymore-_

Sighing, he drew his gaze back to his friends; Narita was asleep, snoring softly, and Kinoshita _seemed_ asleep. But he knew that he wasn't just 'asleep'. He was… _'forever_ asleep'. Biting his lip, Ennoshita noticed how pale his brown-haired friend was. _Pale and corpse-like-_

Resisting the urge to scream in frustration, he scanned the quiet camp once more, before almost gasping in surprise as a figure emerged from the shadows – and not from the direction of the yacht.

"Ah, so _you_ are the people who caused this… _disturbance_. Is this correct?" The sudden, fairly loud voice caused most people who had managed to lightly doze to awaken. No-one answered, instead staring in confusion and, in some cases, fright at the stranger.

Even though he couldn't see the new person's face, Ennoshita knew that he wasn't the only one who had no idea who the mysterious person was.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama and Daichi are on their return from looking for cloths when they hear an unfamiliar voice. Who is it, and are they friend or foe?
> 
> The previous question is answered in a confrontation, mainly between the stranger and Ukai. What is his hidden motive?
> 
> Lastly, Hinata asks the stranger some questions that have been really bugging him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Kageyama didn't speak much on the return journey. He didn't have much reason to. Not only was his throat sore and a cough threatened to attack if he so much as _breathed_ wrong, but he just wasn't in the mood for socialising. Neither was Daichi, if his seemingly permanent frown and identical silence was anything to go by.

The silence (save for their footsteps) actually helped them realise that something was amiss back at the camp. As they neared the hole in the yacht that they entered through, they heard an adult voice which seemed to be too deep to call Ukai's.

Sharing a glance, the two sped up their pace slightly, forcing their weary legs on – grateful that their stamina built up from practice helped greatly – at a faster rate in order to reach the others. In there was any sort of danger, the teens and Ukai were in no state to deal with it. Not only were two people completely out of commission, but the rest were injured (or ill, in Kageyama's case) in some way, whether it be minor or major. Additionally, they all had a risk of trauma, as it wasn't every day that a pleasure cruise turns into a living nightmare, with swiftly fading hope.

Now with sand below their feet, the pair squinted to almost painful levels in order to make out the shadowy figures by the fire. Most were sitting down, although there were about three of four who were standing. But which one was the stranger? Unless he – or she – was actually obscured by the shadows, and was invisible to the two starters currently. Either way, they'd know when they got there.

Tightening his grip on his share of the cloths (he'd insisted on having the majority of them, due to Daichi only having one arm), Kageyama wished that whoever owned the unfamiliar voice was a friendly person.

* * *

Ukai's brows creased in suspicion and wariness as he took a step closer to the stranger. The voice sounded masculine, but who was this man, and what did he want? He'd asked a question, but it seemed rhetorical. Or was it? The coach decided that silence was probably the best answer, as it was understandable not to reply when faced with a complete stranger in the dark.

"Not going to answer?" Movement above his eye indicated to an eyebrow being raised. "I'll take your silence as a 'yes', then." This elicited no response either, which seemed to make the man grin, as he stepped into the light.

He was fairly clean-shaven, although there were a few cuts on his face that implied that he wasn't an expert at the task. His clothes were filthy and torn in several places, and Ukai supposed that they were crop trousers which had been rolled up, accompanied by a tank top. He was barefoot, with broken toenails. His hair might have been light brown once, but now it was a very dark colour – mostly due to the mud smeared into it. His eyes were a calculating and piercing ice blue, and his face was caked in mud, a leaf, and a few cuts.

"Do you people not know how to speak? Or is it that you can't understand me? I believe I'm speaking the same language that you were not long ago, when you were arguing among yourselves."

"H-how long have you been watching us?" Ukai blurted out, flinching at the shudders he noticed from the others.

"'Watching'? Oh no; simply…assessing the risk posed by unidentified, unknown entities." He replied smoothly, making eye contact with the coach, who swallowed nervously but didn't look away.

"That's the same as watching us! Assessing, spying, stalking; call it what you will, it's still the same!" Yachi cried, before stuttering over an apology as all heads turned to her.

Once again, the stranger made eye contact, although this time with the first-year, and answered, "I don't particularly care what it's called. It's not important. What _is_ important, however," he turned back to Ukai, "is why you people are here anyway. Care to explain?"

 _There's something off about this guy,_ the coach thought as he wracked his brain for an answer. _Should I tell the truth, or lie? No; there's no harm in telling the truth. It's not like we purposely crashed here._

"We were on a boat trip, when a storm came – seemingly out of nowhere. It damaged our yacht, and sent us crashing onto this island. We didn't intend for this to happen." He replied honestly.

"But it happened anyway." The stranger added, with an understanding nod.

 _Maybe he's not so bad after all,_ Ukai wondered as he answered, "Yes. We are deeply sorry – we did not mean to upset you."

"Upset me?" He barked with laughter. "Ridiculous! I was only curious, and slightly wary. I felt threatened by the loud noises and new people; I never felt _upset_ or _angry_ or anything else you think of me!"

"If you don't mind me asking," Kiyoko suddenly spoke up, "why did you choose to confront us at night, when it's dark? It's just you seemed rather…intimidating, considering you were a complete stranger appearing out of the darkness like that."

"Ah well, that is simple. You have two friends who are badly hurt, yes?" The seemingly friendly individual queried.

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yeah, why?"

The adult smiled and cocked his head slightly to the side. "Because I can save them."

It was Ukai's turn to narrow his eyes in suspicion. _Why would a total stranger offer his assistance in something as major as life-saving? Something's not right here._

The others, however, were not so wary.

"You can? Seriously?" Hinata asked, excitement and hope becoming his voice.

"Of course," the stranger replied easily, "this island has been my home for a long time. I know the required things that can save lives, which can be found in the very jungle behind me."

"Guys!" The familiar call of Daichi startled those around the campfire. The third-year walked into the light, Kageyama beside him. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later; I'm just glad you two are back in one piece," Ukai replied, before turning to the stranger once more. "Oh, and just out of curiosity; how did you end up here? Is there a tribe, or-"

"No, no, nothing like that!" He laughed, before sighing. "I sailed when I was quite young; around the age of these teenagers here. I had an unquenchable thirst for adventure. Just like you, a storm came, and I crashed here. I was only in a dinky little boat, so it was utterly destroyed. I've lived here ever since."

"Survived, actually. It's not like you move to the countryside and just 'live there'. You _survived_ here ever since." Ukai corrected, feeling even more suspicious.

"Well, you get what I mean. So…do you still want my help? It's clear you need it, but human pride is a very dangerous thing." The stranger smiled in an almost poisonous way.

The other adult opened his mouth to respond, but stopped at a chorus of agreements from the teenagers. Inwardly sighing, he realised that he couldn't exactly object now; they'd protest, and an argument was something he really didn't want to have right now – definitely not in front of this stranger.

 _But really, a stranger just_ waltzes _out of nowhere and claims he can_ help _us? It seems too good to be true,_ he thought as he glanced at the others. Daichi locked eyes with him; the former's were inquisitive and very suspicious. _Good; at least_ someone's _not fully on board._

"Can we trust you?" Tsukishima asked, an edge to his voice.

"Can you trust yourselves?" The stranger responded, with an almost sly grin on his face.

The first-year frowned. "Of course; we all know each other. The only person here who we _don't_ know is _you_."

"Manners!" Suga hissed, jabbing him with an elbow. Despite his words, the setter seemed to agree with what Tsukishima said.

"In these sort of situations, the need for survival becomes an obsession with some. They believe that their friends and companions – who are in the same boat as them – are trying to steal food and water and essential things like that. They become…feral, and dangerous. You never know when one of your friends may suddenly turn on you."

His words left a heavy effect on the stranded volleyball team. Kageyama, Yachi, Asahi and Hinata especially seemed shocked, as if realising that what the stranger said was completely true. Ukai, Tsukishima, Sugawara and Daichi felt even more suspicious; they all felt like the stranger was trying to drive a wedge or break up the tightly bonded team. Tanaka, Ennoshita, Narita and Kiyoko remained silent. Nishinoya was unresponsive and seemed a few shades paler than before and Yamaguchi suddenly did something unexpected.

He laughed.

His laughter was so startling that even Tsukishima reacted like he'd been electrocuted. Everyone's eyes now turned to the first-year who they all thought was unconscious.

"S-sorry," he wiped tears from his left eye with his finger, wincing slightly, "it's just…that's hilarious. Really. Comedy gold."

The stranger's smile had disappeared, but only for a moment. Now it was even sweeter than before – and even more suspicious. "Whatever do you mean?"

"The thing we learn the most in volleyball is to rely on your teammates. Rely on others, and trust them with your life. You really think that anyone here will believe that it's every man – or woman, technically – for themselves? Gosh. You really crack me up, Mr Complete-And-Utter-Stranger-Who-Is-Very-Suspicious." Yamaguchi smiled confidently, although his eye showed pain as he had to turn his neck to an awkward angle to make eye contact with the stranger, which aggravated his back.

"What a rather odd name. I think 'Mr I-Just-Offered-To-Save-Your-Life-And-It-Would-Be-In-Your-Best-Interest-To-Accept', don't you agree?"

"Nah; too long." The pinch server replied smoothly. Ukai swore he heard a slight growl of annoyance from the stranger. _Maybe this guy's true colours will show,_ he thought.

"Tadashi, thank God you're awake." Tsukishima breathed, although he spoke as quietly as possible. "How are you feeling?"

"My back hurts. And my eye hurts." The shorter teen replied, loud enough for everyone to hear. Hinata appeared to be tempted to run over and hug the first-year until his pain left him, but he stayed put.

"And I can help alleviate that pain. Yet you seem to reject my much-needed offer." The stranger replied before the middle blocker could.

"For what price?"

"Nothing."

Alarm bells began to ring in Ukai's head. _This guy would give so much and expect nothing in return? I'm not buying this 'good Samaritan' act. Something's definitely not right here,_ he thought as he stepped closer to Yamaguchi. _I don't think it's such a good idea to rile him up though. I mean yes, it may reveal his true self to us, but at what cost?_

"And why, pray tell, do I doubt that?" Tsukishima spoke up, shuffling closer to his friend (if at all possible) in a protective manner.

The stranger sighed softly. "Listen, I am only trying to help. Unless, of course, you prefer to have your friends' blood on your hands – in both literal and metaphorical manners?"

Ukai's eyes widened. _There. He's manipulating their emotions by believing that refusing his help means that there's no hope for Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. Careful mate; you don't want to reveal too much of yourself so early in the game, now do you?_

Tsukishima flinched slightly and glanced down at his close friend, eyes widening as he did so. Yamaguchi had grown a lot paler, almost matching Noya, and had moved back to his original position, although resting his forehead on the ground as he tried to take deep, steady breaths. His fingers curled into the jacket below him, and his whole body was shaking.

Alarmed by his friend's sudden decline, the tall blonde tried to get the pinch server to talk to him.

"Based on what _everyone_ is seeing, it's quite clear that your friend requires my assistance. It would be in your best interest to let me _help_ you all."

"You can't be se-" Tsukishima began, before he was interrupted.

"A-alright." Everyone turned to Ukai, who was staring at the ground. "If you promise to not harm them. As soon as Nishinoya and Yamaguchi are okay, though, we're leaving. Does that seem fair?"

The stranger smiled, seeming almost victorious. "Of course. I'm glad you could see it from the right perspective. You would simply _hate_ for two of these _fine_ people to perish due to your stubbornness."

Trying to ignore the irritating comments, Ukai replied, "Very well then. But we can carry them. You just lead the way."

"A sense of urgency too? Gosh, you're quite hasty, aren't you? Well, I suppose it's more of the fact that their time is swiftly running out." This comment caused everyone to flinch. "Well, if you're convinced that you can carry them and yourselves, then by all means, proceed."

Inwardly cursing the stranger, Ukai turned to try and organise everyone – although he didn't really need to. They were all getting to their feet – however, Nishinoya and Yamaguchi weren't the only ones who needed assistance.

Narita, against Suga's wishes, moved to help support Tsukishima, who could barely put any weight on his left leg. Kageyama, against Suga's wishes, carefully positioned Yamaguchi on his back – carrying him bridal-style would only aggravate his wounds further. Asahi, against Suga's wishes, gently and almost timidly picked up Nishinoya, who seemed to lean into his chest. Daichi, against Suga's wishes, placed his good hand on Ukai's shoulder, ready to help if his cut foot couldn't support him. Yachi, against Suga's wishes, helped support Kiyoko – although staggering slightly under the taller girl's added weight. Suga, against Daichi's wishes, moved to balance Tanaka, who insisted on walking. Silently, Ennoshita picked Kinoshita up, holding him close.

* * *

After walking for about five minutes in the pitch black, Hinata was surprised by how stiff some of the third-years and Ukai were acting. It was all in their postures. They seemed to think that an attack would happen at any second.

Walking by himself, Hinata hung close to Kageyama and Yamaguchi and shooting the latter concerned glances. The pinch server had his forehead pressed into the crook of Kageyama's neck, breathing unsteady and shallow as his fingers curled into the setter's clothes. His left eye was tightly shut, and a pained crease was evident in his brow.

A quick glance in Tsukishima's direction told the short teen that the other was also concerned for the first-year – although he expressed it in a much subtler way. Smiling at the fact that the bespectacled blonde wasn't as cold as some thought he was, Hinata moved his gaze to the stranger leading them. He seemed trustworthy enough; after all, he was offering aid – for _free_ – to them. Yes, it did seem rather fishy at first, but it wasn't as if the guy was going to kill them, right? Right?

Suddenly uncertain, the ginger first-year opted to speeding up his pace in order to get closer to the stranger. There was a couple of questions that he wanted to ask him. _I'm surprised I can even see; it's so_ dark. _Seriously, why did we have to put the fire out? Then again, I don't think Mr Stranger would like us setting fire to his jungle._

"Um…Mr Stranger?" He called, breaking the heavy, tense silence that had descended upon the group for the past five minutes. The man turned his head, smiling sweetly at Hinata.

"Yes? Although, that's a rather rude name. After all, _you_ are technically the stranger on this island."

"O-oh, right…sorry. I'm curious, though. I mean, you _have_ to have named this island! So, what is it called?"

Even through the darkness, Hinata could see the way the stranger's eyes lit up. "Well, since I arrived here via a natural disaster – the storm – and because in my first few weeks, I lost my finger to a hungry predator, I named it quite fittingly: 'Calamity Isle'. This place…it spells disaster. But I know how to survive its dangerous ways."

"Y-you lost your _finger_?! Which one? _How_?!" Hinata shrieked, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

Smile growing, the stranger lifted his right hand to reveal a missing third finger. There was only a stump in its place. "I told you: by a hungry predator. The jaguar decided that it wanted to snack on fingers."

"Th-there's _jaguars_ here?" He squeaked in fright, glancing around as if he was expecting to be surrounded at that second.

He laughed at the first-year's reaction. "There's quite a few. They don't bother trying to kill me anymore – I'm not sure if that goes for all humans though. Not to mention your extremely loud entrance to the island scared them off into hiding."

"Ah, thank goodness." Hinata sighed in relief, before laughing quietly. "You know, you're really nice. Ooh, ooh! What's your name, mister?"

The man's smile faltered slightly. "I…can't remember it. I never had a use for it here. I guess that over time, it slipped from my memory. I can't remember my exact age, either. I suppose I'm about forty or so now."

"Oh…I know! Make a new one! Right now!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Make a new name?"

"Yeah!" Hinata nodded enthusiastically.

"Hmm…" The man hummed thoughtfully, before clicking his fingers. The action caused a few people to jump. "How about 'Kiken'?"

The first-year's nose wrinkled slightly, although he quickly regretted in with an audible wince. "You want to be called 'danger'?"

"Well, why not? 'Danger (Kiken) of Calamity Isle'. I think it has a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, but won't people get the wrong idea?"

"The only people are you lot; and you have all seen my respectable acts of charity."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hinata could see Ukai tense slightly at that comment. Daichi copied his movements from beside the coach. _Why do I feel like there's something off about this guy?_ Hinata asked himself as he opened his mouth to ask his last – and most important – question.

"Um, last thing: why did you want to help us?"

It seemed like everyone suddenly held their breath, almost desperate to hear the answer to a question that they'd all been thinking.

"Well…it's been a while since I've last interacted with people. Also, it's kind of hard living here by myself. I just…feel so lonely, you know? So, when people actually appear, I want to everything in my power to help them – especially when they're suffering as bad as you people are. I have a very warm heart, you see."

Hinata swore he heard a 'sure you do' from behind him, but he wasn't certain. "I-I see. Well, I better get back to Yamaguchi. A-are you sure you can save him? Noya too?"

"Yes, of course. So the boy on the raven-haired boy's back is called Yamaguchi. And the one in the tall boy's arms is Noya?"

"Yeah, but his full name is Nishinoya. Why?"

"Just so I know my patient's names."

"Oh, don't say it like that. It makes it sound like we're in a hospital. I _hate_ hospitals."

"You don't say that when you've just had your life saved by a hospital though, do you?"

"Well _no_ , but-"

He raised a hand. "Don't worry; I'm only teasing. Now, what was your name, lad?"

"Hinata." He replied slowly. "I better get back." Kiken nodded, and the middle blocker returned to Kageyama's side.

"Why are you talking to a stranger as if he's your best buddy, dumbass?!" Kageyama hissed quietly into his ear.

Hinata turned to object, but faltered as he saw how exhausted the setter looked. _He's sick; of course he needs rest. He should be_ asleep _at this time, not trapesing through a jungle,_ he thought as he merely shrugged in response and returned his gaze in front of him.

Kageyama rolled his eyes but chose not to press the topic; for which the shorter teen was grateful. The latter let the raven-haired first-year go ahead of him so that he was alongside Yamaguchi. Reaching up, Hinata placed his hand over the pinch server's tense one.

"It'll be okay, Tadashi." Hinata murmured, hoping that his voice sounded calm and comforting, unlike his inner turmoil of negative emotions. "Help is just around the corner. You can get through this."

Due to the silence of the group, Hinata's words reached the ears of everyone, including the stranger, who, without anyone's knowledge, grinned. He had them wrapped around his finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Aish, this took a dark turn. But hey! New people! New threat! How wonderful~
> 
> Okay, so there's a reason I've been dead to the world for so long. I've had end of year exams, and I was forced to revise :'(
> 
> On the bright side, next week I start my GCSE course; fun. So there. That's why I've been dead for so long. Well, that and getting addicted to two games. If I can play a game where I crash a bus into everything (literally everything), as well as fly a plane and continuously fail landings (boom), then I kinda neglect my writing life (I know, I have a sad, sad life).
> 
> But I am seriously getting back into this story (I drift in and out 'cause I'm a cabbage like that), so even though I always fail to keep my promises, I promise that the next update will be out quicker. Possibly next week (jinx! Next month – nah, I'm messing).
> 
> Well, have fun and comment to your heart's content!
> 
> Bye~


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone makes their debut appearance.
> 
> More importantly, the group arrive at Kiken's place, and suspicions arise to the point of a heated confrontation, which leads to the one sentence which changed everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gah, I'm back from the dead. I was actually planning on writing this sooner, but I got caught up studying Korean and German. Don't judge.
> 
> So, this chapter should be interesting – and someone finally makes their debut appearance!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Takeda yawned, trying to stay awake. He kept sending concerned glances at his phone, which was silent. No texts, no calls. Nothing.

It was worrying.

He bit his lip to stifle another yawn. It was almost three in the morning, and he was exhausted from all the work he'd had to do. His body wanted sleep, his mind wanted closure; why was Ukai not sending him a text, updating him on their trip? They'd arranged the time to be ten o'clock at night – it was now almost three in the morning. That's five hours. It was more than enough to concern the teacher.

 _I could understand if it was merely a case of having no service, but still…I don't like this. I've got a really bad feeling,_ he thought as he slipped under the covers of his bed. He was just too tired to remain awake any longer. His eyelids quickly grew heavy, and he closed his eyes.  _I'll wait until noon tomorr-_ today,  _technically – and if he hasn't texted by then, then something's up. After all, they would have long moved on at that time._

With that, the group's possibly only salvation fell asleep.

* * *

"Whoa!" Was the first response once the volleyball team, their coach, managers and Kiken arrived at the latter's shelter. And, of course, the response came from Hinata.

The shelter resembled a treehouse – no, a tree _mansion_ , and was lit up by many torches. The dancing flames were held outwards from the mainly wooden structure so that it wouldn't catch alight.

"It's  _huge_!" Hinata squawked, amazed.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at the first-year's overexcitement.  _He's way too quick to trust this guy,_ he remarked silently as he narrowed his eyes at Kiken's slight smirk.

Loathe to admit it, the blonde was  _slightly_ impressed with the sheer size of the shelter.  _Where did he find all the materials for this? The wood, I can understand. But that looks like metal, which is supporting the torches. I know for a fact that metal doesn't grow on a tree or anything; so where the hell did he get it? There's something not right about this._

He glanced over at Kageyama, who was still supporting an unconscious Yamaguchi on his back.  _Yet we have no choice but to leave the lives of Tadashi and Nishinoya in his hands._

Sighing in defeat, Tsukishima limped through the entrance, supported by Narita, who had remained silent throughout the seemingly long trip. It didn't take a genius to know that not only was the second-year struggling to get his head round the whole situation, but the suspicion and unspoken threat of the new person would leave Narita in deep thought. Additionally, there was the crushing loss of Kinoshita, his close friend, and the protests from his damaged ribs weighing him down – possibly threatening to suffocate him.

Once inside, Tsukishima was relieved that Hinata didn't make another amazed comment. Surprisingly, it seemed smaller on the inside, whereas it usually appears larger in the interior.

"Right this way." Kiken called, in a sickly sweet yet demanding tone. He swept his arm in the direction of what looked like a thin hallway of sorts. What Tsukishima found the most surprising was the fact that the floor was almost painfully like floorboards – or more, solid planks of wood. But how could he possibly have shaped a tree so accurately and smoothly? Something was  _definitely_ not right.

"Wait; first, those who need support, stay here. Those who can walk, come with me." Daichi ordered, his voice gentle yet having a strong and seemingly cautious tone to it. The others quickly did as he commanded, leaving Tsukishima behind, along with roughly half the group. Ukai insisted on going, though. Tsukishima quickly scooted over to Yamaguchi, who was carefully being set down on his stomach by Kageyama, with assistance from Kiyoko.

"I have some rooms which you can share between you all. I don't have any beds – how could I? – but I have a few bamboo mats which you can use to sleep on." Kiken explained as he showed them the nearest room.

"How the hell do you have bamboo mats?" Ukai asked, and Tsukishima didn't miss the way the other man's eyes flickered sideways for a split second.

"It's surprising what you can find in a jungle." He replied smoothly, before continuing down the tight hallway.

"It certainly is." Daichi muttered under his breath, and being rewarded with a hiss and a nudge from Suga.

"You know what else is surprising?" Suga whispered, despite his actions towards the captain. "The fact that two of our friends lie possibly dying, and this guy's taking us for a tour of his place."

"That's true!" Daichi whispered with a half-gasp. "Should we tell Ukai? After all, if Kiken prioritises tours over lives, then he's obviously bad news."

"We already knew that." Suga replied, still keeping his voice low. "Besides, I'm sure Ukai is already aware of this fact. Actually, I daresay that he has a lot of… _questions_ to ask Kiken."

"I won't show you anything else; after all, I must save your friends' lives! I suppose – Nishinoya, is it? – is significantly more wounded than the other, so I will tend to him first." Kiken announced, before leading the way back to the others.

Sharing a glance with Daichi, Suga followed him. During the short trip back, the two stayed close, and took an extra peek into every room that they passed.

As soon as they returned, they both locked eyes with Tsukishima, whose eyes seemed to scream 'we need to talk'. Daichi nodded slightly, and the first-year seemed to relax slightly.

Asahi stepped forward defensively when Kiken bent down to pick Nishinoya up, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't," Narita murmured, "he can help."

"And what if he can't? What if he harms Noya?" Asahi asked, mostly out of his frantic desperation and fear.

"He can do more help than we can." The second-year replied quietly, not answering the second question.

The third-year glanced at the floor, beaten. "Yeah…you're right. We can't help him when he needs it the most."

Narita's eyes widened. "I didn't mean it like-"

"Don't you dare start being all depressive! If you start, then everyone else will!" Suga chided.

The corners of Asahi's mouth twitched upwards for a second. "But-"

"No buts! C'mon; let's at least get everyone settled. God knows we all need rest; especially those who are badly hurt – and Kageyama. He needs to sleep off the cold in his system." Suga headed over to Kageyama, and began helping him up, much to the latter's subtle irritation.

Tsukishima watched all this unfold, and dreaded for the time when Yamaguchi would be torn from him and taken away by a suspicious person to be 'helped'. However, at the same time he wished for it to come quicker, as it meant that, if Kiken really would help him, then Yamaguchi could be saved.

"What…where am I...?" A disorientated voice cut Tsukishima from his thoughts. Snapping his head down so fast he thought he got whiplash, he stared at Yamaguchi's partially open eye.

"T-Tadashi!" Tsukishima exclaimed in surprise. "Wait- what are you doing?!"

Yamaguchi winced, squeezing his visible eye shut as he managed to flip himself onto his back. Once this was accomplished, he yelped in pain and bit his lip so hard it bled a little.

"No, you have to stay on your front." The tall middle blocker murmured, worry creasing his brow. "Hey. Tadashi?" Shaking his shoulder gingerly elicited no response from the pinch server. "C-c'mon, wake up. Tadashi!"

"What's going on?" Hinata asked as he shuffled over. His eyes widened slightly as he saw Yamaguchi laying on his injured back. "No, Yamaguchi, you can't lie on your back! You have to stay on your front – even if it isn't comfy. Please, it'll only hurt you more!"

His words fell on deaf ears as both first-years realised that the freckled teen wasn't conscious anymore.

Tsukishima sighed and rubbed a hand down his face in exasperation. "We have to flip him back over." Hinata nodded his agreement.

"Is everything okay, guys?" Suga asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"I need to talk to you and Daichi, Suga; but right now, we need to sort Tadashi out." The blonde explained.

"Well, I was planning on making everyone go to the rooms to get some rest. There's no point turning him over if we're only going to transport him to another room." Suga explained gently. "If you want, I can carr-"

"Nope." Daichi interrupted, walking over. "Don't even think about it. If everyone's going to rooms, I was thinking of putting the first-years in the same room. Yes, it'll be a little crowded, but they'll be safe together. If this is the case, then hopefully Kageyama can carry him again, unless his health has declined."

"Doubtful," the vice-captain shook his head, "I think Kageyama will power through this cold. Oh, and what about the others? How are we going to organise the rest of the rooms? I mean, Yachi feels safest when she's with Kiyoko…"

"And girls need privacy, but…"

"Can we risk it? After all…"

"Girls are at risk the most if they're alone together in a strange man's house-"

Suga held up a hand. "I know what you're suggesting, which is why I'm planning on telling them to barricade the door with anything they can find. We'll have to have some kind of special knock to let them know it's us. We can't risk it otherwise, but girls feel safest when they have privacy."

"Okay then. You, Asahi and I can share a room, and the second-years will probably have to be split into two groups." Daichi chewed the thumbnail of his good hand in thought.

"Or should we mix and match the years? I don't know…and what about Ukai? Knowing him, he won't sleep; he'll be too worried."

"True…but maybe he can stay with us? Or perhaps with Kiyoko and Yachi?"

"We'll have to talk to everyone, and ask for their preferences."

"They'll all be tired; let's just go with year groups."

Suga nodded. "Right."

Hinata watched the exchange between the two 'parents' with amusement. He chose the brief moment of silence to speak up, "Well, I would prefer the way you've organised us, if I'm being honest. I think you should let Ukai stay with the girls to protect them."

Suga glanced at him with mild surprise, momentarily forgetting his presence, before replying, "It's not that they need protecting, it's just Kiyoko and Yachi are very intelligent. If they feel safe and get a good night's sleep, then they will be invaluable to us when devising a plan of escape from this island."

"Enough talk; let's get everyone settled. I don't know about you lot, but I'm exhausted." Daichi ordered, rubbing his eyes slightly. The exhaustion was clear in his posture. He turned and began talking to the second-years.

"Right, so let me help you get to your room; it will probably be the nearest one." Suga held out his good hand for Tsukishima to grab. Once the blonde was hoisted onto his good leg, with most of his weight leaning against Suga, the latter told Hinata to go bring Kageyama over, as the setter had gone over to Yachi and had sat down again.

As quick as he could, Hinata dashed over to where Kageyama was conversing with Yachi, and told him to follow him.

"Do you want me to come?" Yachi asked, despite having no idea what Hinata wanted Kageyama for.

"No, it's fine. We're in different rooms – hey look, Daichi's coming over! He'll explain it to you." Hinata explained, before scampering back over to Suga, the raven-haired setter close behind.

"Ah, good; you're here. I don't suppose you'll be able to carry Yamaguchi again, would you? I know you're ill, and very tired, but-"

"It's fine. And don't worry, I can manage. He doesn't exactly weigh much." Kageyama crouched down in front of the pinch server, and reached his hand forward – only for it to be unexpectedly batted away by a weak hand.

"I-I can walk." Yamaguchi protested weakly, his left eye opening to stare at Kageyama's face.

"Are you su-" The taller first-year was cut off by a harsh cough.

"Yes, I'm sure."  _I hate being coddled like this. I can walk, so I don't need to be carried,_ the freckled teen thought with defiance.

To prove a point, he sat up, albeit inevitably digging his nails into the floor and clenching his jaw, before quickly rising to his feet. However, he got up too quickly, and black spots clouded his vision, and his legs buckled. All of a sudden, he felt very faint.

"Oh God; Yamaguchi!" Kageyama cried out, reaching out to stop the freckled teen from face-planting the floor. "Are you okay? Well, of course not, but-"

"I'm  _fine_." He bit out, jaw still clenched.

"Let me at least support you. It's not far." Sighing, the pinch server relented, allowing Kageyama to support some of his weight.

Tsukishima shot the two a look of mixed emotions, before leading the way (with Suga's assistance, obviously) to the room where they would be temporarily staying in. Kageyama and Yamaguchi followed, with Hinata bringing up the rear, prepared to leap into action if walking proved too much of an effort for Yamaguchi.

Once in the room, Hinata quickly grabbed a bamboo mat and placed it near to Yamaguchi as the latter's remaining strength finally left. The pinch server's eye rolled into the back of his head and his legs buckled. Kageyama gasped in alarm and surprise and rushed to hold the collapsed first-year to ensure he didn't face-plant.

Overall, it took about fifteen minutes to settle everyone in their rooms. Daichi stayed with Tanaka, as he was to share a room with Nishinoya, who still had yet to return. Ukai wandered in and out of all the rooms, checking up on everyone, despite being tired and having a bad foot. He was meant to be sleeping in Kiyoko and Yachi's room, but he was too suspicious of Kiken.

On his way to check in on the third-years, he found Asahi asleep by himself. Confused, he went across the hall to where Tanaka was, and found him alone too. Concerned, Ukai headed to the first-years room, hoping that nothing bad had happened.

Upon entering, he found Kageyama and Hinata both fast asleep, with the occasional sniffle from the former, and the two missing third-years talking quietly with Tsukishima, who was sat extremely close to Yamaguchi, who was fitfully sleeping. Ukai swore he heard the pinch server wheezing, but he wasn't sure.

"What's going on in here?" He hissed, making himself known.

The three conversing teens jumped slightly, before Tsukishima replied with a simple, "We don't trust him."

Ukai understood immediately. He headed over to the trio, and gently sat down, laying his injured foot out in front of him. "Ditto. Nishinoya should've been out by now. It's…worrying, to say the least."

"Tsukishima was just explaining how the bamboo mats aren't messily or hastily woven – they're similar in style to the ones you can buy from shops. It's very suspicious." Suga piped up.

"Not just that, but we've all noticed the torch brackets. They're made of metal – and I know for a fact that metal doesn't grow on islands." Daichi inputted, a slight growl in his voice. "So, that leads us to the question of what the hell he's doing with metal, seeing as he's apparently been 'shipwrecked' for such a long time."

"Something's not right." Tsukishima shook his head, casting a quick glance at his best friend.

"We'll just have to keep an eye on him." Ukai sighed.

"What about Noya? He's not come back yet. What if…" Daichi trailed off.

"Well, I was just about to suggest you and I eavesdropping outside the door to make sure everything's alright." Ukai proposed, locking eyes with the captain.

"Great idea; let's go." Hastily, the third-year got to his feet and began quick-walking towards the door.

"Wait!" The coach hissed, limping after him.

Suga raised an eyebrow, but turned back to Tsukishima. "You are aware that once Nishinoya returns, then there is a large chance that Kiken may take Yamaguchi immediately after, right?"

The middle blocker swallowed before answering, "Yeah. Tadashi can't wait until the sun comes up or whatever Kiken's excuse may be. Even if I don't trust him…well, I guess if he really has saved Noya, then I can only hope for the best."

Suga smiled, although it looked more like a grimace. "Me too."

Daichi and Ukai missed the short exchange between the two, as they were too preoccupied with being as silent as possible.

They were just about to arrange themselves on either side of the door when it swung open, and Kiken emerged, gently carrying Nishinoya, who seemed even paler than before.

"He's fine now." Kiken announced, handing the short teen over to Ukai. Daichi didn't miss the blood splattered on the suspicious man's clothes.

"Will he make a full recovery?" Daichi asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

"I can't say for sure, but he probably will. The wound didn't hit any vital spots, but he lost a lot of blood. Since there isn't exactly a hospital here, he can't have any blood transfused to him, so you'll just have to let him rest and build up his strength."

"C'mon Daichi; let's take him back to the rooms." Ukai said, already beginning to head there.

"Oh, and may I have Yamaguchi? He's lost a lot of blood too, I believe. I hope that the rest of you can hold out until sunrise? I still need to sleep, you know." Kiken's smiled slightly, to which Daichi ignored and followed Ukai back.

"How did it go?" Suga asked as he saw the pair pass. Daichi headed into the room, while Ukai took Nishinoya to Tanaka's room.

Gently setting the pale teen down on the mat next to Tanaka, he shook the latter awake.

"Hmm? What's going on?" Ukai was relieved that Tanaka's speech was no longer slurred.

"Noya's back, Tanaka."

The wing spiker's eyes widened, and he was about to yell with relief and excitement when Ukai shushed him and pointed to the still body next to him.

"Shh. He's…asleep. Could you stay with him and check him over? I want to make sure that Kiken hasn't done anything bad to him."

"I wouldn't leave him anyway. And of course I will. He's in safe hands." Tanaka flashed him a grin, even though it seemed forced.

"Oh?" Ukai raised an eyebrow. "So you're now 'safe hands'?"

"Of course!"

Ukai chuckled, before patting Tanaka on the shoulder and getting up. "If you need anything, just call me." Tanaka nodded, and the coach left.

* * *

~An hour later~

After carefully handing Yamaguchi over to Kiken, Ukai had ended up falling asleep in the first-years' room by accident. Tsukishima had desperately tried to stay awake, but he too had fallen to the overwhelming urge of sleep. Suga and Daichi had quickly followed suit.

So, when they woke up, they all feared the worst had happened. Tsukishima was the most furious with himself. After all, it was his  _best friend_  in the hands of a stranger.

"How long has it been?" The first-year asked, immediately noticing that Yamaguchi wasn't back.

"I don't know. Half an hour, maybe?" Suga suggested.

"No, longer than that. I'd estimate an hour." Daichi bit his lip.

"Either way, we need to go check on him. It's been too long." Ukai was already leaving the room as he spoke, leaving the others to follow.

"I need to go too." Tsukishima declared, struggling to his feet.

"You can't!" Suga cried. "You need to rest."

"I have to. Please, Suga, just help me." The determined, almost desperate look in the first-year's eyes melted away Suga's protest. And his heart, a little, if he was being honest.

"Fine, but…any sound of pain or discomfort and I'm dragging you right back here. Got it?" At Tsukishima's nod, the third-year assisted him in getting to his feet and leaving the room. Suga could tell that the middle blocker was in pain, but was using all his remaining strength to hide it. Just so he could make sure his friend was alright. Suga was touched, actually.

The sound of a door opening drew the pair from Tsukishima's hidden pain, and they were both equally shocked to see Kiken exiting the room and looking  _solemn_. As if someone had  _died_. But that was impossible, right?

"What's with that look on his face?" Tsukishima mumbled, jaw clenched slightly. The vice-captain noticed, but didn't bring it up.

Instead, he chose to answer the important question at hand. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. However, I know for a  _fact_ that Yamaguchi isn't dead or anything – he's a fighter. Kiken's probably putting on an act."

Daichi and Ukai, who were practically right in front of the door when it opened, tried to spot the injured first-year in the room beyond. Their efforts were fruitless, though, as Kiken quickly shut the door behind him.

"Ah! I was just about to get you." Was the first thing he said, his expression brightening ever so slightly.

"How is he?" Ukai asked calmly, wanting to get as much information as possible.

Kiken clasped his hands and took a deep breath. He reminded everyone of a doctor about to reveal bad news. "Well, his injury was more… _complicated_  than Nishinoya's."

"How so?" Daichi asked, worry, fear and suspicion all urging him to speak.

"The object which inflicted Nishinoya's almost fatal wound caused only one area to be directly affected – in other words, there was only one entry wound. With Yamaguchi's wound, however…the circumstances were different, to say the least."

"Because he was in motion when he received his injury." Tsukishima finished, biting his lip.

Kiken nodded. "Yes. The wound was jagged, and was a mixture of deep and shallow. He required stitches."

"Hang on," Suga spoke up, brows creased in confusion, "you keep talking in the past tense. Is he…?"

"No, no, not at all!" The man smiled slightly, as if it was a symbol of reassurance. "I've given him the necessary medical requirements. He is alright now."

It was in this moment that Tsukishima snapped.

Pushing Suga away, he limped right up to Kiken so that he was inches away from the other's face. "That's impossible!" He yelled. "He needs antibiotics, clean bandages, more blood and stitches! You can provide  _none_ of that!"

Kiken stepped back slightly. For a brief moment, he seemed caught off guard. He soon recovered, and began, "If you'd just let me explain-"

"No! There's something wrong here! There's  _always_ been something wrong here! You offer help and claim nothing in return?! That's insane! You have  _no-one_ here, so you'd  _obviously_ want something back! C'mon, out with it!" Tsukishima ignored the pain in his leg, letting his rage envelop him. "If you were truly shipwrecked here, then you wouldn't even  _have_ the things Tadashi needs! You're lying to us all! You're  _lying_!"

" _Enough_!" Kiken suddenly roared, taking everyone aback. Rage was clearly written on his face. He was showing his true colours. "I have been  _selfless_ to you all! I have given you shelter, and comfort, and I was planning on giving you food and water! And then you do  _this_! You  _accuse_ me of…of  _lying_ , and being an evil person! I have given you so much, and  _this_ is what I get in return?!"

"There's no way in hell that all the materials in this 'house' are primarily from the jungle." Ukai spoke in a loud yet calm voice. "It is obvious that you have gotten them from an external source. Explain yourself." His commanding tone almost worked, had Kiken not thought of a strategy.

All the rage vanished from his face, and he smiled innocently at them. "I truly am shipwrecked, you know. That is the honest truth. I have protected you all from the threats of this island, and I have saved two of your friends' lives. They still require frequent medical attention – which only  _I_ can give them – so I highly suggest that, if you want them to live, you will  _never_ oppose me in such a manner again."

Silence blanketed the five people for a minute, four of which were utterly shocked by the fifth's words. Kiken had just used their friends' lives as  _blackmail._ It was sickening.

"Good." Kiken's face changed to a serious one. "Now you four better get back to your rooms. I just have a few more things I want to check with Yamaguchi, and then he's done."

Tsukishima, whose fists were clenched and his eyes stared at the ground, spoke up, "The metal torch brackets, the bamboo mats, the medical supplies…it adds up to one thing." He looked up, locking eyes with the suspicious man. He waited a moment, before saying the one sentence which would change everything.

"There were people before us, weren't there."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanaka makes a promise to Nishinoya, while the confrontation comes to a dangerous close with Kageyama's unexpected information. They compile a list of injuries, while Ukai worries that Kiken may take his anger out on Yamaguchi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Tanaka blearily opened his eyes, momentarily confused. Where was he? He certainly didn't recognise this place.

And then it struck him – he was at Kiken's house. With Nishinoya.

Snapping his head to the side and immediately regretting it as spots danced across his vision, he impatiently waited for his eyesight to clear, before seeing Nishinoya at last. From Tanaka's angle, he could see the gentle, yet seemingly weak rise and fall of his friend's chest. In the breaking sunlight, which the wing spiker noticed for the first time, Noya's face still seemed too pale to be healthy, but he didn't seem to be in as much pain as before.

Sitting up, Tanaka frowned as he realised that he still felt exhausted, despite sleeping. His head throbbed, and he had a strong urge to just lie down and take a nap.

What he found even more surprising was the fact that a vague memory had appeared seemingly from nowhere, and was now floating around his head. He frowned as he tried to concentrate on it. It worsened his headache, yes, but that was a risk he was willing to take in order to find out what exactly this mysterious memory was.

Closing his eyes, he saw it play in his mind's eye like a video. He was on a boat, and it was swinging around in all directions wildly. He spotted a window, with rain hammering on it, and a figure in front of him. Suddenly, the boat crashed onto something – it sounded like it hit land or something – and there was a great jolt, which caused him to hit his head against the window. He heard a distorted voice-

-and then the memory abruptly ended.

Opening his eyes, Tanaka felt a sense of familiarity towards that memory – it definitely felt recent. And since he woke up in a crashed boat, near a person and a window, and left to be met with land, he supposed that it was the incident that Daichi had mentioned when he first woke up.

Glancing down at Nishinoya again, he was met with an unchanged sight – wait, no, it had changed slightly. He felt dread settle in the pit of his stomach as he noticed the crease between the libero's eyebrows. His jaw also seemed slightly clenched.

Reaching over, Tanaka took his friend's limp hand in his. "You helped me on the boat when I was scared; now I will help you in your recovery while you're in pain and scared. I promise you this."

He received no reply, but that was fine by him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tsukishima's words had left a devastating effect on the other four. Suga and Daichi were connecting all the dots to realise that he was right, and Ukai had a 'I knew it' expression on his face – probably referring to how he was convinced that Kiken was bad news.

Speaking of Kiken, he seemed paralysed with shock and what looked like fear. His expression soon melted into anger, and he hissed in a low voice, "After  _all_ I have done for you people, you  _dare_ to say such a thing?!"

"I dare to say the truth." Tsukishima replied simply, arms folded and smirk on his face. The suspicious man was cornered.

Opening and closing his mouth, Kiken sighed and hung his head. "Yes," he admitted quietly, "there were people before."

"What did you do to them?" Ukai asked in an accusative tone.

The other adult glared at him for a moment, before staring at the ground once more. "They were…loveable folk. They were honest, kind and didn't ask for much. Then one day…they wandered into the jungle, hoping to catch something to give to me as a way of paying me back, but…it didn't end well. The-the jaguars got them. None survived."

The other four shared a disbelieving look, before Daichi queried, "How many were there? Did you know their names? And how did you find them?"

"Also, how did you find out how they died and why they were out there?" Suga contributed, taking a step forward.

"There were four. I didn't know their names, and I found them when I went to look for them. They weren't where they should be, so I was worried."

"I thought jaguars don't like to leave remains lying around though." Tsukishima chimed in, pretending to be wondering aloud instead of stabbing Kiken's story in the heart.

"These jaguars aren't keen on the taste of human." The stranger replied smoothly.

Tsukishima's eyes narrowed, but Ukai held him back. The coach noticed how the first-year seemed to favour his good leg now, and knew that this conversation shouldn't drag on much longer.

"That still doesn't answer my question." Suga spoke up.

"Well," Kiken began uncertainly, "I could see the teeth marks and the claw marks in the remains. Not to mention the occasional tufts of fur which gave it away as a jaguar."

"And why?" The vice-captain pressed, taking another step forward and subtly nudging Tsukishima behind him.

"Why what?" He asked innocently. The others knew he was stalling for enough time to think of a good comeback or cover-up story.

"Don't play dumb; you don't need to." The underlying message in Suga's response was clearly saying that Kiken was naturally dumb. This brought a small smile to the other three's faces.

"Well…over the past couple of days, they'd mentioned paying me back for my hospitality. What other reason could they have to wander into the jungle – the same jungle which I had warned them about entering?"

"Maybe because you never actually warned them about entering the jungle." A new voice from behind startled the five, who turned to see Kageyama walking up to them, holding a small book in his left hand.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Kiken asked nervously.

"This book," the first-year paused to sniffle as he stopped in front of the man, "is a diary  _from_ the people, giving a wonderful account on what the hell actually happened. You know, if you were in Japan, you would be in prison by now."

Sharing a quick glance with Suga, Daichi stepped forward. "What do you mean, Kageyama?"

"This book," he repeated, mainly for effect, "explains  _everything_. It tells you all the secrets this  _man_ kept hidden, and it also-"

He was cut off as Kiken suddenly lunged forward, snatching the book from Kageyama. Snarling, he snapped, "Keep your hands off things which aren't yours!"

"I could say the same to you." The setter easily replied, earning a glare. Without responding verbally, the stranger turned and quick-walked back into the room which still held Yamaguchi.

"How on  _earth_ did you find that book?" Suga asked, staring at the first-year.

"There was a floorboard below where I was sleeping, and it seemed raised, as if there was something under it. I managed to move it – I think I broke it, though – and I found the diary."

"But now Kiken's took it, we can't have a good look at it." Daichi sighed, rubbing his face with his good hand.

"Not necessarily," Kageyama held up a finger while he sneezed, before continuing, "I read a hell of a lot of it, at least. Oh, and there was a pen with it. I still have the pen." Reaching inside his slightly ripped jeans, he pulled out a clicky pen.

"You know, there's much better places to put it then- never mind." Tsukishima sighed and shook his head.

"Well, great, we have a pen." Ukai mumbled, reaching for it. "Unfortunately, we have nothing to write on."

"Oh, and I ripped a blank page out of the diary." Kageyama added, as if it was a minor thing that just slipped his mind.

"Why didn't you say so before?!" Daichi exclaimed, delighted that something was sort of going right.

"Yeah, hang on a moment." Bending over he reached into his left sock and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Ukai, who already had plans for it.

"Right; come with me, guys. I need to make a list, and then it's Story Time with Kageyama." With that, the adult started heading back to the rooms, the others following close behind. Kageyama offered his assistance to Tsukishima, who bluntly declined it and limped after Ukai.

Once in the room with a still sleeping Asahi, they gathered in a circle, with Ukai nearest the door, the first-years furthest from it, and the third-years in front of Asahi.

"Right; I think it's important to make a list of injuries so we can better organise ourselves." Ukai explained his idea, before unfolding the paper – it was A5 size – and clicking the pen.

"First-years first. Then second-years, then third-years. Ukai…are you okay with being last?" Suga asked, frowning.

"Yeah, of course. I don't mind. Besides, you guys are my top priority." The coach waved his hand dismissively.

"Okay then. Let's get to it." Daichi nodded, before engaging in a fifteen-minute conversation about the injury(ies) of each person. The list quickly came into existence, and Ukai was proud that his handwriting was legible. The list was like this:

** Injury List: **

**Hinata –** Broken nose (fixed?)

 **Kageyama –** Bad cold

 **Tsukishima –**  Dislocated leg (fixed?)

 **Yachi –** Cut on left arm, scratch on ear

 **Yamaguchi –** Eye injury, badly cut back

 **Ennoshita –** Bruise on cheek

 **Narita –** Bruised/Cracked ribs

 **Nishinoya –** Deep stomach wound

 **Tanaka -** Concussion

 **Asahi –** Twisted ankle

 **Daichi –** Broken right arm

 **Kiyoko –** Bruised/Twisted knee

 **Suga –** Sprained left wrist

 **Ukai –** Cut on left foot

"Right, that should do it." Ukai remarked, clicking the pen again. "Anything else?"

"I thought I saw a slight smear of blood on Asahi's nose before, but I can't see it now. I must be mistaken." Suga shrugged, biting his lip as if he was hiding something.

"It's probably your motherly instincts going haywire." Daichi smiled slightly, elbowing the setter in his right side.

Hissing under his breath, Suga forced a smile a squirmed to a more comfortable position – one where his hidden injury didn't sting as much.

Frowning, Daichi swiftly lifted his shirt up, revealing the cut on the vice-captain right hip that he'd both ignored and kept hidden the whole time. Eyes widening in alarm, the third-year scolded, "Why didn't you tell anyone about this?! It could have got infected!" Sighing, he let go of Suga's shirt. "I saw blood, but I thought it was just this tiny scratch or something – not a cut like  _that_!"

"It's not even that deep!" Suga protested. "Besides, there were people who needed help more than I do. It didn't hurt much after a while, so I didn't speak up about it."

"Understandable, I suppose." Daichi patted Suga's shoulder with his left hand, before gazing sadly at the list. "We better not show Ennoshita or Narita this list."

"Why?" Kageyama asked with another sniffle.

"Because there's a name missing on here. I think you all know who." The captain explained, blinking a little faster than usual. "Now come on, let's get a little shut-eye while we still can. I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted."

"Ditto." Suga agreed. "You two especially, go get some sleep." He addressed Kageyama and Tsukishima, before turning to Ukai. "Where did you say you were going to sleep again?"

"I think I'm going to stay with Tanaka and Nishinoya. I want to know if Kiken did anything… _bad_ to Noya." He rose to his feet as he spoke, before helping the two first-years. "You two rest. And if you don't feel safe, just barricade the door."

When he got two affirmative nods, he left, supporting Tsukishima with Kageyama close behind. It didn't take long to get to the first-years' room, where Hinata was sleeping peacefully (and loudly). Kageyama fell asleep almost instantly, and Ukai noticed that he'd moved his bamboo mat to another location, as the floorboard he'd mentioned was cracked and broken in some places, and didn't seem to fit back into place. Tsukishima laid down next to the mat which was supposed to hold Yamaguchi, but was empty. It still unnerved the coach.

Leaving their room, he checked in on everyone, before nodding to himself and entering Tanaka and Nishinoya's room. He supposed that they should have waited until they got Yamaguchi back before they confronted Kiken. He closed the door and laid on the mat, deep in thought.

What if Kiken took his anger out on Yamaguchi? What if he hurt him, or worse? Ukai knew that not only himself, but Suga and Daichi would blame themselves and drown in guilt.

Sighing, he prayed that no harm would come to the suffering first-year, and turned away from the weak sunlight filtering through gaps in the room.

He fell asleep mere moments before a loud whimper echoed through the rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heyo~
> 
> Ah, joy! I just broke up for the summer holidays (freedom)!
> 
> So I'll probably use that list too, and the reason Asahi's nosebleed wasn't mentioned in the list is because a) he was still asleep when they were writing it, and b) only he and Yachi know about it.
> 
> Oh, and now I have quite the habit of ending it with cliffhangers. Can I make it worse for you? I might as well. So here's the question: who whimpered; Nishinoya, Yamaguchi, or someone else? Hmm? Just something more to kill me for.
> 
> Right, so I have six weeks of freedom, so the next chapter should be out quicker (I'm not going back on it this time). If it's not, I give you the right to throw watermelons at me. 'Cause let's face it, it would be very amusing.
> 
> Adios~


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After hearing some important information, Yamaguchi must make a break for the first-years' room. He nearly made it, but...someone wasn't too happy with his little escape.
> 
> Kageyama resists the urge to kill Kiken, listens in to a quiet conversation, and hears Yamaguchi reveal his story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You guys are amazing, really. Your comments, favourites and follows are incredible, and I thank you so much. It makes me want to write more, y'know?
> 
> Anyway, I'll let you get on with the chapter~
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Yamaguchi opened his eyes to pale daylight seeping in through a crack in the wall. A wall which appeared to be made of wood, he noted, before remembering where he was.

As he attempted to sit up, he was rewarded by a searing pain shooting down his spine and he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. He felt bandages, and blushed slightly when he noticed the absence of a shirt. At least he was still adequately dressed on his lower half.

Realising that he was lying on his back, he decided to just keep as still as possible and hope that the pulses of pain would die down to a much more manageable level.

Without movement of his body, the first-year chose to scan the room he was in – and the first thing he noticed was that Tsukishima wasn't there. In fact,  _no-one_ was there. Although there might be someone on his right side – the side which he couldn't see anything of. He strained his hearing, trying to pick up any sounds of movement, but his efforts were fruitless.

Until he heard what sounded like a faint growl.

Immediately, he stiffened (soon regretting it) and his mind raced.  _What did that growl belong to? A wild, dangerous animal, or an angry person? Oh God, I can only half see; I'm going to die-_

His thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a book being slammed down, and footsteps from his right. Quickly, Yamaguchi closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

"Unbelievable people," Kiken spat, unaware that the pinch server was conscious, "I mean really, the  _nerve_!" He began pacing the room – at least, that's what Yamaguchi presumed by the frequently changing direction of footsteps.

The first-year heard what sounded like a bottle being picked up, and then the man mumbled, "Absolute foolish morons, the lot of them! I'll teach them a lesson later. Yes, the jungle will do nicely." Yamaguchi heard him chuckle, before his footsteps increased in volume – and then abruptly stopped.

Kiken was right next to him.  _Does he know I'm awake?_ Yamaguchi thought fearfully.

"You know, boy," he began, "your little friends are all  _idiots._ If they really do leave, then what about you and the other one? Nishinoya, was it? Oh, they'll expect me to fix them all up, and then they'll leave! It's happened before; what's to say it won't happen again?"

He sighed deeply, before adding, "They were a desperate lot. Five, was it? All adults, no kids. Of course, they'd washed up hurt. They always do. So then I heal them, and they bugger off into the jungle! Well, at least it kept the jaguars off my back for a little while."

Kiken laughed quietly, before murmuring, "But why am I saying this to someone who's not even conscious? These people are not to know  _anything_ more about their predecessors. If they do, then…"

He trailed off, and Yamaguchi felt foreign hands rolling him onto his side so that now he had his back to Kiken; and he knew this because, in his surprise at the sudden movement, he'd opened his left eye, which was now closest to the surface he lay on.

Kiken's threat didn't need to be spoken as the first-year felt a warm liquid splash onto his back. It seeped in through the bandages and the stitches, and pain flared up again in his back. This time, he couldn't keep quiet, and a loud whimper escaped him.

The man, originally taken aback by surprise, laughed at hearing Yamaguchi's pained noise. "Not a fan of alcohol, eh? Even when asleep, there's people who just don't like the stuff! Ha! Crazy people," he murmured the last part to himself, "the lot of them."

 _He has alcohol? How the_ hell  _does he have_ alcohol _?! This doesn't make any sense,_ the first-year's thoughts raced as he shut his left eye. It seemed that Kiken  _still_  wasn't aware of the fact that Yamaguchi was awake, and the latter was determined to keep it that way.

"You really banged up that eye of yours though, didn't you? How on Earth did you do it?" He wondered aloud, and the pinch server felt his gaze on his eye. "It'd be a miracle if you ever see out of it again." Kiken muttered, before walking away.

Yamaguchi's breath hitched at the stranger's comment.  _I…might never see out of my right eye? I may be permanently half-blind?_ Shaking only brought more pain to his back, but he struggled to hold in his sobs.

Drawing a shaky breath, he opened his left eye and rolled back onto his back, wincing as he did so. He had valuable information that he needed to share with the others. He had to get to them now.

Quickly scanning the room, Yamaguchi noted that Kiken seemed to have gone back to the room he'd originally emerged from. He also realised that a different door, which looked slightly larger than the other, was slightly open. He could escape through it, and get to his friends. To Tsukishima.

Clenching his jaw, the first-year painfully sat up, before gingerly draping his legs over the side of whatever-the-hell he was sat on. It resembled a bed, except it was made of a combination of wood, vines, giant leaves and a bedsheet. The latter of which he found very interesting, and suspicious. He also noticed that there were a few smears of fresh blood, which indicated that his wound had opened up in some areas. Now that he thought about it, he realised that he could feel lazy trickles of warm liquid dribbling down his back.

Taking a deep breath to steady and calm himself, Yamaguchi slowly stood on his own two feet. He had a brief moment of feeling confident before his legs buckled and he fell to his knees, leaning heavily against the bed-wannabe. He prayed that Kiken hadn't heard anything as he shakily struggled to his feet once more. Even this simple motion drained him of his already-depleted reserves of energy. All of a sudden, he felt rather faint.

Closing his eyes to stop the room from spinning, he took one unsteady step forward and gritted his teeth as it sent a fresh wave of pain shooting up his back. He didn't let this deter him for long, and he continued on his unsteady way, out of the room and down the hall. He vaguely remembered that the nearest door led to the first-years' room, and he felt a spark of hope ignite in his chest as he stepped closer to it.

This spark was quickly stamped out, however, as Kiken placed a hand on his shoulder. Not only did this startle him, but it also hurt his shoulder as the man dug his nails in.

"Now, Yamaguchi, whatever are you doing up?" He asked in an innocent voice, yet with an underlying edge to it.

The first-year kept his mouth shut and refused to speak, albeit clenching his jaw slightly. He knew that the short yet painful journey had opened up a little more of his wound. No wonder he suddenly felt a bit woozy.

Without warning, Kiken unexpectedly slammed Yamaguchi into the wall right next to the first-years' door. As soon as his back made contact with the wall, the pinch server yelped and tried to struggle, but to no avail, as the man had an iron grip on his shoulder - and seemed to be adding pressure, too.

Yamaguchi heard faint voices from inside the room for a moment, before they were drowned out by Kiken's words.

"You've opened up a few areas of your injury, you silly boy. Now, you'll have to come with me so I can  _fix_ you up again." His tone was no longer innocent or gentle; just cold and threatening. He applied slightly more pressure onto Yamaguchi's shoulder, which pushed him back and caused his back to rub painfully against the wall.

"Let me go!" He cried, struggling even more.

" _Now_ , Yamaguchi, there's a good boy." Kiken stepped forward slightly, raising his free hand as if to strike the teen.

"Leave him alone!" The strong voice of Tsukishima had never been more relieving to Yamaguchi. The familiar sight of his best friend limped out of the first-years' room, eyes narrowed and hands balled into fists.

For a brief moment, Kiken dug his nails further into the pinch server's shoulder in annoyance, and the latter hoped that he hadn't drawn blood, fearing that if he lost any more, he would be a goner. However, the man quickly regained his composure and released Yamaguchi, who stumbled before sliding down the wall, feeling drained, pained and afraid.

"Ah…Tsukishima, was it? I think it's time I have a look at that leg of yours, eh? Wouldn't want any serious  _damage_  to come to it, you know?" Kiken spoke calmly and almost in a friendly way, but Tsukishima wasn't having any of it.

"The only 'serious damage' that could come to my leg now is if I let  _you_ anywhere near it. So how 'bout no?" The last question was rhetorical and the middle blocker smirked as he saw the man struggling to respond in a calm way.

"Very well then," he said eventually, "but know that if you ever feel otherwise, my door is always open." With that, Kiken turned and began to walk away.

"You'll get a terrible draught, but not me!" Tsukishima called after him. He got no response, save for the slamming of a door, which contradicted the stranger's leaving statement.

Others were beginning to emerge from their rooms, confused and concerned, but Tsukishima paid them no heed as he quickly limped over to his friend and crouched awkwardly beside him. The pinch server's left eye was tightly shut, and he didn't seem to be aware of the middle blocker's presence.

"Tadashi! What happened? Are you okay?" He asked hurriedly, placing a hand on Yamaguchi's shoulder.

The other frantically shook the hand off, his visible eye wide with slight panic before realising that Kiken hadn't returned, and that it was his friend who he'd so desperately tried to get to in front of him.

"K-Kei…" He murmured, smiling slightly. It looked more like a grimace.

"You're okay, yeah? You're alright." Tsukishima soothed as he gently embraced Yamaguchi. The latter whimpered quietly and rested his forehead on his taller friend's collarbone.

"What happened, Tsukishima?" Ukai asked, favouring his uninjured foot.

Tsukishima's reply was drowned out by Hinata exclaiming, "It's Yamaguchi! He's back!" He quickly ran up to the aforementioned first-year and dropped to his knees. The short teen began bombarding the other with questions. As the blonde first-year was about to scold Hinata, the latter's interrogation abruptly stopped mid-question.

Frowning, Hinata silently lifted his hand and began softly carding it through Yamaguchi's hair.

It was then that Tsukishima realised that his shirt collar was damp, and that his friend was shaking not just because of pain and fear.

* * *

Kageyama bit his lip and resisted the urge to storm into Kiken's room and beat the guy to death. Because of him, Yamaguchi was crying. And the setter knew perfectly well that tears can set off a pretty strong chain reaction.

Sure enough, Yachi's eyes began to water as she crouched beside her fellow first-years, trying to comfort her friend. Out of the corner of his eye, Kageyama spotted Asahi turning away, rubbing his eyes furiously.

To put it simply, Kageyama was furious; no,  _beyond_ furious. He was  _livid_. They should never have trusted Kiken in the first place. They had all been fools.

 _But then again,_ he thought miserably,  _we were all tired, hungry and in pain. Of course we'd accept help from the first person to appear before us._

Sighing, he glanced back at Ennoshita and Narita, who had both emerged from their room that they shared with Kinoshita. They both looked like they wanted to comfort Yamaguchi – after all, they were probably closest with him over the other first-years – but knew that he was in good hands with Tsukishima, Hinata and Yachi. The latter was gently rubbing the pinch server's arm in a comforting manner, as well as whispering small nothings to him.

Kageyama snapped his head round to look at Ukai as the coach cleared his throat and stepped forward. He immediately regretted it as his head throbbed angrily, and a cough tore at his throat. Yet another irritating reminder that he was sick. Glorious.

"I'm sure you all know that it's not safe to stay in the hallway like this." Ukai began, feeling awkward and terrible for having to break the emotional moment. "I think it would be best if we got Yamaguchi into the first-years' room, don't you think?"

There were a few quiet mumbles of agreement, and Kageyama inclined his head slightly in a nod. No doubt Yachi would stay with Yamaguchi, which meant that Kiyoko would probably move in with Daichi, Suga and Asahi for a little while.

The setter frowned as he started to wonder what exactly his fellow first-year was doing up and walking around. He surely was drained and weak, so why get up?  _Unless Kiken did something bad,_ the raven-haired teen thought with a shudder.

Something  _had_ to have happened. Something important.

And Kageyama  _had_ to know.

Walking forward, he opened his mouth to ask Yamaguchi – and quickly shut it again as he saw  _it_.

The fresh blood, which had soaked through the bandages on Yamaguchi's back.

Swearing under his breath, Kageyama opened his mouth again – albeit this time to tell Tsukishima – when the latter looked up and mouthed 'I know' to him.

The setter frowned at this and crouched down. "Then why are you just sitting here?!" He hissed as quietly as he could.

"He needs to calm down first." Tsukishima replied calmly in a whisper. Kageyama could hear the faint traces of anger in the other's voice that he couldn't quite fully mask.

Nodding in understanding, the raven-haired first-year turned to Hinata. "Oi, are you…okay?" He asked as he saw the middle blocker's eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Y-yeah, why wouldn't I be? Besides, Yamaguchi needs help. We need to give that to him." Hinata answered in a manner as reassuring as he could get. It wasn't very much.

A sudden hum of surprise forced Kageyama's gaze away from Hinata and towards Tsukishima again, as the latter glanced down at his friend and then muttered something to himself with a nod.

"He's out." Tsukishima reported. "Can you help me get him into our room?" Yachi, Hinata and Kageyama all quickly agreed.

"Right, everyone else, get back to your rooms." Ukai ordered, and was grateful that the rest of the team followed his command. All except one, of course.

As the coach turned to head back to Tanaka and Nishinoya's room, his arm was grabbed by Daichi's good hand. Despite facing opposite directions, they were stood so that their eyes locked.

"When are we leaving?" The captain asked in a quiet voice. Kageyama heard it, though, and decided to listen in to the conversation.

"As soon as everyone's fit for travel. Ennoshita, Yachi, Hinata, Asahi, Tanaka and Kageyama aren't too bad. Narita and Suga should be fine as long as they don't do anything reckless. Kiyoko's leg needs looking at. I don't know what she's done to her knee, but it could be either minor or major. And your arm needs fixing ASAP. I believe that Tsukishima will heal after a few days of taking his weight off his leg. Not to mention Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. It will probably take a long time for them to recover enough to meet the standards of 'fit for travel', so we may have to resort to carrying them." Ukai explained.

"And what about you? That cut on your foot could get infected if we go traipsing through a jungle before it's fully scabbed over." Daichi pointed out, eyebrow raised in a 'don't tell me you're fine' look.

"I know." Ukai said, understanding the look. "I just…look, we need to get away from Kiken as soon as possible. He's dangerous. We're all at risk here, especially those who can't run easily."

"I'm aware." Daichi sighed. "So what's your plan once we leave?"

"Head to the shore, make a beacon of some sort. A large fire, if you want to follow the cliché. You never know, maybe Takeda sent the Navy like Ellie did in the third Jurassic Park." They both smiled slightly.

"Anything's possible, I suppose." The captain released the coach's arm, and, after thanking him, left to enter his room.

"Kageyama, what are you still doing standing over there?" Ukai called, startling the first-year.

Knowing he couldn't lie, the setter announced, "I'm much better, you know. A good night's rest works wonders. I'll be perfectly fine very soon."

"…Okay, that's great." The adult responded slowly, unsure of where the other was going. "Just focus on getting better, then."

"Kiken's got to pay." Ukai realised now where Kageyama was going with the conversation.

"For what? He threatened us, yes. He used Nishinoya and Yamaguchi as blackmail, yes. He's very untrustworthy, suspicious and plain dangerous, yes. But what harm has he inflicted on us yet?"

"I'll tell you what harm he's inflicted on us," Yachi suddenly appeared in the first-years' doorway, her face clearly expressing anger, "or, to be more specific, what harm he's inflicted on  _Yamaguchi_."

Kageyama had never seen the manager so furious (and scary) before, so, naturally, it piqued his curiosity. He entered the room, followed by Ukai. In there, he found Hinata sat cross-legged on the floor in deep thought and Tsukishima sat with one leg out contemplating the most painful way to murder someone.

And inbetween them lay, on his back, a conscious Yamaguchi, currently looking at the two new arrivals with fear and pain in his gaze.

"What happened? What harm is Yachi talking about?" Ukai directly addressed the pinch server as he gingerly sat down next to Tsukishima, behind Yamaguchi's head.

"H-he had alcohol." Was all the first-year could say before his left eye brimmed with tears and his jaw clenched in discomfort. Obviously, talking about it was painful; both mentally and physically.

Kageyama's eyes widened as he sat down next to Hinata, near Yamaguchi's hip. Not only did that imply that Kiken had used alcohol on his friend, but it was also extremely suspicious. How could the horrid man have  _alcohol_ of all things, despite being stranded on an island for so long that he had apparently forgotten his name.

"He poured some onto Tadashi's back, the ba-" Tsukishima cut himself off as his sentence made him want to kill Kiken even more.

"That's not all." Yamaguchi went on, finding his voice and confidence to speak about what transpired before they found him. "I pretended to be asleep and I found out something… _interesting_. Well, some  _things_ interesting."

"We didn't get any further before, as we all kinda exploded after what Yamaguchi said." Hinata explained as he, Yachi and Tsukishima leant forward.

"There were people before us."

"We know that already. Kageyama found a diary, but didn't get to read all of it or show it to us as Kiken snatched it and ran off." Ukai explained gently.

"He said there were five adults before, no kids. And-"

"Hang on," Tsukishima interrupted, glancing apologetically at his friend, "I thought he said that before there was four."

"He seemed to be genuinely telling the truth, too. Did he mention how they died?" Kageyama asked. "Actually, the diary did kinda mention four other people. Since it was in first person, I was confused, but now it makes sense. There were five people in all."

"He didn't mention much, only that it kept the jaguars away for a bit." Yamaguchi shifted slightly on the bamboo mat he was laid on, feeling the bamboo dig into his back and, more specifically, his wound. It was uncomfortable and painful, but no matter where he lay, it remained uncomfortable.

"Same death, but one extra person. Anything else?" Tsukishima asked, sensing his friend's discomfort.

"Yeah. The whole alcohol thing was a threat. He said that you- that  _we_ are not to know anything about our predecessors, and if we do, then…" He trailed off, knowing that the others understood.

"But why would he make a threat like that if there was only you in the room? I mean, didn't you say you pretended to be asleep?" Hinata asked, confused.

"He didn't know I was awake at all. I honestly don't know why he made the threat. But…there's something else. The bedframe itself was made from jungle materials, yet there was a bedsheet. The sort at…home." He sighed sadly at the mention of home. They all felt a pang of misery.

"Was it clean?" At Yamaguchi's nod, Kageyama continued, "There's no way he had a bedsheet lying around when he got stuck here. This is getting more interesting by the minute." He smirked slightly at the thought of verbally destroying Kiken.

"He used stitches, which he shouldn't have, he had a clean bedsheet and alcohol, which is suspicious, and he said-" The pinch server abruptly cut himself off from finishing his sentence.

"What? What did he say?" Tsukishima asked. Yamaguchi merely shook his head and looked at the wall to his left, trying to ignore the others' gazes. "Tadashi, you've got to tell us. Please."

Taking a deep breath, the freckled teen choked out, "He said it would be a miracle if I ever saw out of my right eye again." With that, he broke down into tears.

As the first-years and Ukai tried to comfort the sobbing teen, Asahi backed away from the door in horror, shocked by what he had heard. He was the only person who had seen the pinch server's right eye after it had been injured. If Kiken made that sort of judgement, that meant that he had unravelled the bandages covering the aforementioned eye.

If that was the case, then the bad dream he'd had a few hours ago would become reality in a terrifying case of déjà vu.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takeda makes a few phone calls, and realises that it's up to him to save the Karasuno Volleyball Club.
> 
> Nishinoya wakes up, and Tanaka makes a shocking discovery. 
> 
> Ukai reveals that they may be leaving tonight. Despite the good news, four hearts plummet as Kiken enters the room, with something else in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Takeda glanced at his phone for the sixth time that morning, and decided enough was enough. His calls never went through, his texts never came up as 'delivered', and Ukai wasn't responding to him at all.

Sighing, he turned on his TV, hoping to take his mind off his concern for a while, and give the coach time to get back to him. However, once he'd turned it on, he really wished he hadn't.

His TV was on a news channel, and had a reporter sat at her desk. And in the top right corner of the screen was a picture of the Karasuno Volleyball Club.

"… _and none have responded to their anxious parents' attempts to contact them."_ The newswoman reported.  _"The coach, Ukai Keishin, hasn't called or texted anyone to inform them of anything bad that may have occurred. The team and their coach had gone on a boat trip around Japan, but have unexpectedly gone missing. No-one knows where they are. If you have any information, please call your local police, and help find these fifteen people."_

Takeda swore his heart stopped after hearing the news. "None of them have responded," he murmured to himself, "which means that they must be in trouble." He gasped as he remembered something, before running into his dining room and rummaging through a pile of papers and letters.

He soon found what he was looking for (and created a mess in the process), and wrenched the paper out of the envelope. It was a letter which told him the plans for the trip. It was given to him by Ukai, just before the latter left.

At a rapid pace, he scanned the paper, desperately looking for today's date. Quickly finding it, his eyes widened as he noticed that they were destined to stop at Tokyo.  _That means they would dock in Tokyo Bay. That's crazy busy; someone_ must  _have seen them,_ he thought, before glancing at the day before.

"A string of islands…" He muttered, eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he read the various names under the heading 'Izu Islands'. "These islands aren't far from Tokyo. They would have arrived," he glanced at the kitchen clock, "half an hour to an hour ago. Which means…" he raised his gaze to his window to stare out of it in dread, "they never got past the islands."

In a flash, he whipped out his phone and called the Izu Islands Coast Guards (after looking in the phone book, of course, as why would he memorise a number for coast guards), and impatiently waited for the other end to pick up.

" _This is Izu Islands Coast Guards. How may I help you?"_

"Hello, I'm Takeda Ittetsu; I'm the faculty advisor of Karasuno Volleyball Club."

_"Ah yes, the team who went missing. It's rather odd, you know."_

"What is?" Takeda asked, feeling his stomach flutter in either hope or dread.

_"They were here yesterday; I'd remember those rowdy kids anywhere. I also recall the adult – Ukai, was it? – mentioning that this was their last stop before they make their way to Tokyo."_

"What time did they leave there?"

_"You mean the harbour? Ah…six, seven-ish? They'd just eaten – they wouldn't stop talking about the food, you see – and they left. But…"_

The raven-haired teacher sensed the hesitation, and felt cold. "Wh-what?"

 _"Half an hour after they left, I got a serious weather warning. A really bad storm was coming. It was passing through the Izu Islands and just brushing past Tokyo. Lucky thing the capital wasn't gonna take a direct hit, eh?"_ Takeda heard a faint chuckle, before the voice returned,  _"They were in the area, but I couldn't radio the captain – the storm had messed it all up. When I heard the news this morning that they were missing, I felt terrible, so I begged my boss to let me take the morning shift so I could see if I could get a hold of them."_

"And?"

There was a short moment of silence.  _"Nothing."_

Takeda forgot to breathe for a moment, before he said, "Okay, thank you. Keep trying to get a hold of them, if you can. Bye."

Before the coast guard could say 'bye', he hung up, sighing loudly.  _They never got to Tokyo. They left the Izu Islands. Which means that they either went hopelessly off-course, sunk, or crashed,_ he summed up in his head.  _None of which are good,_ he added.

An idea sprang into his head, and he quickly searched for a number in the phone book, before dialling it.

_"Hello? This is-"_

"Sorry to cut you off, but this is really important. Has a yacht with fifteen people – one adult and fourteen teenagers – arrived at Tokyo Bay?"

_"Uh…hang on, let me just check."_

The two minutes of the person checking was arguably the longest two minutes Takeda had ever dealt with.

_"Sorry about the wait. And no, no boat with fifteen individuals has arrived. Why? Wait- isn't that the same amount of people who are missing?"_

"Yes, I'm checking something. Okay, thank you, and bye." Quickly hanging up, Takeda hurriedly donned his shoes and quick-walked out of the house. He was already washed and dressed, and after he'd come to his realisation, he knew that he had to get to the police station with all speed.

Fortunately, it wasn't too far away from his house, and he all but burst through the front door.

The receptionist looked up in surprise. "Um, sir, are you alright?"

"I must speak with the chief now." Takeda said urgently.

"What about?" A voice startled him, and he turned around to see the chief of police, eyebrow raised and moustache neat.

"Something vital."

He hummed for a moment, before saying, "Follow me."

The chief lead Takeda to an interview room, where he shut the door and sat down. "Now, what do you need to speak to me about?"

"Karasuno Volleyball Club. I have information about their location."

"Oh?" The chief raised an eyebrow, and he pressed a button on a recording device, before announcing the time and date.

Takeda said his name, before saying, "They left the Izu Islands at a time between six and seven o'clock at night yesterday. They were supposed to arrive in Tokyo Bay this morning, and have failed to do so. There was a bad storm that swept through the islands and brushed Tokyo – the area where they were headed. I am not certain of their location now, but I know that they are in that area."

"How do you know all this?"

"I am the faculty advisor of the team. The coach, Ukai Keishin, gave me an itinerary for the trip."

"Okay, so how about this; we'll ring the coast guards of the entire area, and if they haven't seen a – yacht, was it? – then that means that they're still at sea."

"Yes, please do that. Do you want me to stay here?" The chief nodded, turned the recording device off, before leaving.

 _If someone saw them, then they would have already contacted the authorities, surely, which means that they're still at sea,_ he thought, swallowing nervously.  _If this is the case, then they could either be 20,000 leagues under the sea, or shipwrecked on an island and no-one's spotted them. But then, the latter means they're no longer at sea. Ah, I don't know. I just hope they're alright._

The chief entered the room ten minutes later, stone-faced. He didn't stop to sit down, instead announcing, "No-one's seen them. Their radio is dead, and they're not coming up on anyone's radar. This means that they're still at sea, but since there has just been a bad storm…they may be  _under_ the sea."

Takeda sucked in a breath as he realised that they can't be shipwrecked, since the coast guard's radar or a passing ship's radar would have picked them up – if the yacht was still intact. And if it was badly broken…then the precious cargo of human life may be badly damaged.

The faculty advisor realised that the Karasuno Volleyball Club was in a lot of trouble indeed.

And it was up to him to save them.

* * *

Tanaka felt better that morning. He didn't feel as dizzy, he could see clearly, and the pain in his head had died down to a manageable – yet irritating – headache. He'd tried to block out as much light as possible, as it made his headache worse, but he ended up having to turn away from it completely. At least it kept his back warm.

However, his top priority wasn't the light, or his own improving health – it was his best friend, his bro; who was still not awake.

This worried Tanaka greatly, as he knew that it couldn't be good to sleep for  _that_ long. Could it? He'd tried gingerly shaking his shoulder, talking to him, poking his cheek – but Nishinoya simply would  _not_ wake up. As if something was keeping him from doing so. He sat on his friend's right side, as it shielded him slightly from the light.

Ukai had had to leave, and Tanaka wanted to when he'd heard the unmistakeable cry of Yamaguchi, but he had to stay with his friend. The libero was unhealthily pale, and his breathing was weak, but he'd pull through. He had to.

But what if Nishinoya didn't pull through? What if he didn't even wake up?

A faint groan snapped the wing spiker to attention, and his eyes widened in surprise and hope as his friend's eyebrows furrowed, and his nose twitched. He was waking up, at last!

 _How ironic_ , Tanaka thought,  _that when I begin to despair that my friend may never wake up, and then said friend wakes up._

"That's it, Yuu! Come on!" He encouraged, before frowning as the libero's right arm twitched, before he went still, as if he didn't have the strength to wake up. "What's wrong with your arm?" He murmured slowly, before reaching forward and rolling the sleeve up.

At first glance, there was nothing there, but upon closer inspection…

"Needle hole." Tanaka breathed, not wanting to believe it. "Now it all makes sense! You can't wake up because you've been  _drugged_ by that bas-" He was interrupted by the door opening, and he glanced up to see Asahi walk in quietly.

"How is he?" The ace asked in a whisper as he gently sat down on Nishinoya's left side.

"I don't know." The wing spiker spat venomously, although regretting it as Asahi flinched.

"O-oh, sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. My anger is towards Kiken, not you."

"But hasn't he helped Nishinoya? I mean, despite his other actions, he helped Yamaguchi, so-"

"He  _drugged_ Yuu!" Tanaka cried, unable to stop himself. He knew this would make Asahi worry like crazy, but once he'd started, he couldn't stop. "I've seen the needle hole! That's why he won't –  _can't_ – wake up! I don't know what's been pumped into Yuu, but I don't like it."

Asahi's face had turned white as a sheet, and he stared unblinkingly at Nishinoya. "He's…what if it's cocaine or something?!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Where the hell would Kiken get  _that_ from?!"

"He has alcohol! You never know!"

"Wait, what?" Tanaka frowned. This was news to him.

The third-year sighed. "He used alcohol on Yamaguchi as a way of making a threat. We don't really know why he did it, considering he thought Yamaguchi was still asleep, but he did it anyway. He's unpredictable, that man."

"What are you two yelling about?" A voice from the doorway caused both teenagers to jump, before they stared in shock at Ennoshita, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"E-Ennoshita! How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you feel faint?" Asahi panicked, jumping to his feet.

"Asahi, I'm  _fine_." The second-year smiled slightly at the panic of the third-year. "I'm…recovering, I suppose. My only injury is this bruise on my face. It doesn't hurt as much anymore. But my heart aches. Painfully."

Tanaka nodded in understanding. While he didn't have many classes with Kinoshita, he still got along well with his fellow second-year. His own heart hurt, but he knew it was nothing compared to Ennoshita and Narita, who were much closer to Kinoshita.

"But we can't go back in time. If this is the will of the world, then I can only accept it." The dark-haired wing spiker murmured, before taking a deep breath. "Besides, I'm here to ask why you two are making so much racket. Oh, and how's Nishinoya? How's he doing?"

"That's what we were talking about." Tanaka replied, before sighing and clenching his fists, not only in anger, but in pain. Raising his voice seemed to have made his headache worse. "Yuu's been drugged."

Ennoshita almost choked on his own breath. "Wh-what?!"

"There's a needle hole in his right arm. That's why he's not waking up. He tried to a little while ago, but he couldn't." Tanaka explained, pointing to Nishinoya's arm. Ennoshita walked over to them and inspected the hole himself.

"Could it be anaesthetic?" Asahi suggested timidly.

"Well, it's a better suggestion than cocaine." Tanaka sniggered, before turning serious. "It's possible. But the question is – where in God's name would he get anaesthetic? It's not like you can buy it at your local 24-hour store – a shop of which doesn't exist on a deserted island, might I add."

"He has alcohol, bedsheets, bandages, needles and thread. What's to say he doesn't have anaesthetic?" Asahi dropped his bombshell, before another groan startled him.

"He's trying to come round again!" Tanaka realised, before gently shaking Nishinoya's shoulder. "Come on, Yuu! You can do it!"

The libero's nose twitched again as his head moved to the right, before his eyes slowly began to open. Tanaka swore his heart burst with excitement, but he contained it as he smiled at Nishinoya. "There you are," he murmured softly, "I knew you could do it."

The injured second-year cracked a weak smile. "Ryuu," he whispered, as his voice had no strength, "long time no see."

"Yeah. Look; Asahi and Ennoshita are here too! You'll be okay, Yuu."

"'M'tired." Nishinoya mumbled, eyelids drooping slightly, before he gasped, eyes widening and body tensing.

"What's wrong?" Asahi asked, shaking. This wasn't good for his nerves. Or his heart. Or  _him_ , in general.

"Hurts." He whimpered, back arching slightly.

"You're going to be okay, you hear?" Ennoshita reassured, laying a hand on Nishinoya's. "Now, can you tell us what happened with Kiken?"

"Um…h-he laid me on this bedsheet. I was in some sort of bed. It was uncomfortable. He had…he had a needle. He jabbed me with it, in my right arm, said I'd be out like a light. I felt sleepy, and then…well, now I'm here. Where am I, exactly?" Nishinoya explained, shaking with pain.

"You're in Tanaka's room. So you were right, Asahi – it was anaesthetic." Tanaka nodded to the third-year.

"But Yamaguchi never mentioned his bedsheet having blood on it, so that must mean Kiken replaced it. So he has more than one sheet. I mean, Noya must have bled, so…" Asahi trailed off, suddenly feeling weak at the mention of his friend losing  _more_ blood.

"Ah, thank God he's awake." Ukai startled the four on the floor as he entered the room. "Listen, I have to tell you something." He sighed. "We have to move as soon as possible. We can't stay here. I've just been speaking with Daichi and Suga, and they say wait until nightfall tonight. I've also just checked Kiyoko's knee – and I'm pretty sure it's sprained. I can walk by myself, but Kiyoko, Nishinoya, Tsukishima, Yamaguchi and Kinoshita will need someone." Everyone except Nishinoya flinched at the mention of Kinoshita.

"Okay. I can carry Noya, if that's okay." Asahi offered.

"I'm carrying Hisashi." Ennoshita declared, leaving no room for anyone to object.

"I'll help Kiyoko." Tanaka folded his arms, looking proud.

"Well, Yachi's already offered, but the two of you should be fine." Ukai replied.

"I bet Tsukishima wants to carry Yamaguchi, right?" Asahi glanced at the coach, who nodded.

"Yeah, but he's not going to. Suga's offered to support Tsukishima – and if he uses his bad hand, then I will thwack him." Ukai informed. "Which leaves Yamaguchi. Kageyama offered, but I don't want to put any strain on him. His cold is staying at a cold, but I don't want it to get worse."

"I'm sure he can manage. He's tough." Tanaka assured, before glancing at Asahi. "Is something wrong?"

The ace was staring at the ground, shaking. He glanced up at the second-year after hearing the question. "It's just déjà vu. But um…I don't think we should go tonight. Can't we wait until tomorrow?"

Ukai shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't. Who knows what Kiken's up to. Well, I better get going. I need to speak with Narita about helping Tsukishima with Suga." With that, he left before they could tell him about the anaesthetic.

A short period of silence spanned out over the four teens, before Ennoshita spoke up, "Asahi, something's really bothering you. What is it?"

The third-year shook his head. "It's nothing."

"It obviously is." Noya murmured weakly, looking up at the ace.

Asahi sighed. "It's just…if we go tonight, I fear we may run into-"

"Good morning~" A sudden voice startled them, and they turned around to see none other than Kiken. "How are we all doing?"

"Leave us alone, man." Tanaka said in a calm yet threatening tone.

But Kiken only smiled. "Now, I've only come to check on you, lad. I heard you have a concussion. We may need to perform trepanation."

"'We'?" Tanaka narrowed his eyes cautiously. He knew what trepanation was. He just hoped Kiken didn't.

"Me and my drill, of course." And Kiken held up a sharp, non-electric hand drill with a wicked grin on his face as he closed the door behind him.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so Kiken may seem a bit crazy right now (just a bit), but there's a reason. Most of the time, there's a reason behind what I write.
> 
> And I deeply apologise for this being just over a month late, but I've just returned to school (le cri) and school means homework.
> 
> Oh, and thanks to Guest and Adrinette4life's comments, but rest assured; this chapter is Hinata's moment of glory. I've been planning this for a while, so I hope you enjoy it~
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Ten minutes or so after Ukai left, Hinata contemplated whether or not to check on Nishinoya. He, like everyone else, was concerned. Tsukishima, however, was busy making Yamaguchi as comfortable and calm as possible. Kageyama was wheezing, although he tried to hide it by constantly clearing his throat. Yachi had decided to go with Ukai when he went to check Kiyoko's knee.

Hinata stood up. "I'm just gonna check on Nishinoya. I won't be long." After getting two nods and a blink from Yamaguchi, the middle blocker left the first-years' room, heading not too far away. However, he was surprised to find the door shut right in front of him, and voices from inside that sounded almost panicked.

 _What's going on in there?_ Hinata thought as he placed his hand flat on the door. A shriek which sounded suspiciously like Asahi startled him, and he accidentally pushed the door open, revealing four teens and a drill-wielding man.

He saw the shocked expressions his upperclassmen wore as they stared at him in disbelief, which was soon replaced by fear.

"Hina-" Tanaka began, but was cut off as Kiken turned around, a too-wide smile etched onto his face.

"Ah, Hinata. What a  _pleasant_  surprise." The man spoke calmly, with an underlying dangerous tone.

"Hinata! Run!" Ennoshita yelled, and then all Hell broke loose.

Kiken lunged for the middle blocker, who, out of pure instinct, side-stepped to dodge the attack. However, the original motive behind the attack seemed to be to reach the door, if Kiken shutting the aforementioned door was anything to go by.

With his back to the door, Kiken had now trapped the five teenagers in the room; and he had a massive advantage – a weapon.

"Kiken…what are you doing? Someone'll get hurt if you wave that thing round." Hinata murmured, struggling to keep his voice calm after narrowly avoiding being impaled by 'that thing'.

"Your friend over there requires surgery, Hinata." Kiken replied, pointing straight at Tanaka, who narrowed his eyes in loathing.

The first-year glanced at Tanaka, and then back at the man before him. At that moment, there was at least a couple of metres between Hinata and the other four teens. And  _less_ than a metre between him and Kiken.

"You can't perform surgery on a deserted island – you don't have the right equipment, or painkillers, or anything like that! Besides, Tanaka doesn't need surgery – I'm pretty sure it's only a concussion. Isn't he getting better?" The last question was directed more at Hinata's friends than at the dangerous man.

"I'm  _fine_ , Hinata; that's the thing. He doesn't want to 'perform surgery'. He means to kill us! All of us!" Tanaka replied, and Hinata's eyes widened.

"Are you serious?! That's…that's crazy…" He stared at the ground for a moment, trying to comprehend the fact that a stranger who had opened his abode to them now wanted to murder them in cold blood. "But why?" He raised his head, anger suddenly blazing in his eyes. "What have we done to you?!"

"Oh, let me think; I saved  _two_ of your friends' lives, and I get rewarded with accusations and suspicion!" The man either didn't notice or didn't care that he was raising his voice.

"Our suspicion isn't misplaced! Nor are our accusations!" Asahi spoke up, before flinching at the glare Kiken shot his way.

"Where's your proof? Huh?" He spat.

"Where did you get that drill from…?" Hinata wondered aloud, before locking eyes with the man and repeating in a louder voice, "Where did you get that drill from? It's not an electric one – and it's small. Surely it would have been washed away when you beached here…unless…you've never been beached here!"

Kiken didn't reply for a moment, but his grip tightened on his weapon, implying that Hinata had hit the nail on the head.

"It would explain how you've lasted this long." Tanaka agreed.

"And why you have so many things that don't just appear out of nowhere." Asahi chimed in.

"And why you took us in." Ennoshita put in, being rewarded with confused stares from everyone except Kiken. "After all, in a stranded situation such as this, surely you'd want to keep everything to yourself – it's not like there's a local supermarket nearby where you can buy your necessities. You took us in not because you're a decent human being – because you wanted to lull us into a false sense of security and then exploit that newfound trust by killing us one by one. If we asked where one of our friends had gone, you'd make up a lie and we would have believed it. That's what happened with the other group who beached here, right?"

All attention returned to Kiken, who was trembling with rage. His eyes were downcast, but he seemed to emit a deadly aura.

"It's the classic hook, line and sinker cliché – I can't believe I didn't see it before now." Ennoshita continued, omitting the fact that before, he was too busy drowning in his grief to pay attention to the strangeness of the situation.

After a moment of tense silence, the most unexpected noise occurred: the sound of applause.

Awkwardly, considering he was holding a drill, Kiken had begun to clap, as if they'd won an award, not worked out his terrible plan.

"Congratulations," he stopped clapping, mustering as much sarcasm as he could, "you worked it out. Now the irritating cliché comes into play: the 'protagonists work out antagonist's plan' cliché. Except, what's this? A new concept? The new 'despite working out his plan, the antagonist traps the protagonists and the latter are now subjugated to a painful death' concept, which will probably never become a cliché as society  _always_ wants the hero to save the day." He grinned, feeling proud of himself. "So, what are you going to do now? You know my plan. But there's no police, so don't even  _think_ that you've got me, and I'm going to say, 'And I would have got away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids'."

"Something's only over when there's nothing left to say and nothing left to do." Hinata spoke up boldly, no trace of fear present as he stood tall. "And no matter the manner in which one is trapped, there is always a way to escape."

"Wh-" Kiken never got any further than that, as Hinata nimbly punched him in the right cheek, before stepping back.

Staggering slightly to the left, the man soon regained his balance, and, with a roar, lunged at Hinata, drill poised to stab.

"You guys go! I'll keep him here!" The first-year called, quickly dodging the initial attack.

"We can't  _leave_  you! We're your upperclassmen!" Tanaka protested.

"And I'm your  _under_ classman! Just trust me!" Hinata replied as he took a couple of steps away from the door. Kiken followed with a series of lunges and attempts to maim and/or kill, all of which were avoided by the first-year, who wasn't in the mood to be maimed and/or killed.

"Come on; we don't have time to linger!" Ennoshita snapped into action, shaking Asahi out of it. "Asahi, can you carry Noya? Tanaka, go!"

The third-year nodded and, as gently as he could, picked Nishinoya up. He paled as he realised that the libero was unconscious again. Tanaka, who was on his feet and ready, stayed by Asahi's side in case Noya slipped from his grasp or Asahi's ankle buckled. Ennoshita followed close behind, never once taking his eyes off Hinata as he bravely fought Kiken.

Hinata spared the others as many glances as he could manage (which wasn't a lot) as he ducked and dodged away from Kiken's attempts to brutally impale him with his weapon of possible death. As he saw Asahi and Tanaka, with the precious bundle of Nishinoya, neared the door, he felt relief and hope swell in his chest. He noticed that Ennoshita was staring at him, and hoped that the second-year would also leave.

 _I can't attack – I'm on pure defence,_ Hinata thought,  _so it's only a matter of time before…before he_ gets  _me._

The hope drowned in the sea of despair as his thoughts tugged his confidence down to the dark depths of the sea of perils.

So caught up was he in his unspoken musings that he didn't see the drill until the last second. Too late to fully move, he could only merely shift his head to the side, in time to watch, seemingly in slow motion, as the drill missed his head and tore through the right side of his neck.

Yelping at the sharp, burning sting, Hinata stumbled backwards, his left hand immediately clamping down on his neck. He could breathe – it didn't penetrate his windpipe or anything of great importance (if you disregard the importance of blood and skin). He knew it wasn't as deep as Yamaguchi's back wound, or as serious as Nishinoya's abdomen injury, but it still  _hurt_. And despite the fact that there were others in more pain than him, he was still in pain nonetheless.

He'd never been hurt this badly before. Of course, he'd broken his nose in the aftermath of crashing on the island in the yacht (he was pretty sure that Tsukishima hadn't correctly fixed it), and yes, that hurt, but this was deeper than a cat scratch. Deeper than a paper cut, or a splinter. This was the depth caused by a sharp weapon grazing him as it missed its fatal course.

Call him a wimp, call him a coward; but it  _hurt_ , even more than a cat scratch, or a paper cut, or a splinter. And he was unaccustomed to pain of this magnitude.

So deep were his thoughts, that when he cleared his mind and focused on the present moment, he found himself on his knees, and Kiken holding the weapon above his head, about to bring it down through his brain and severe his spirit from his body.

And, typically enough, he found his limbs were frozen in place as he tried to evade the weapon of certain death, which was approaching him in slow-motion. He felt as if he were watching a video played much slower than the original – as if this moment was not his, but another's, and that he was watching it through the safety of a screen.

Hinata watched as the drill neared, its blade coated with scarlet. He stared at it in fascination, suddenly asking himself,  _If one takes away the sins of an object or creature, would it become the most beautiful thing in existence? After all, if you take away the sins that this drill has committed – and is soon to commit – then it would be very beautiful indeed._

He turned his head slightly to look at Kiken.  _Would he be beautiful, if his sins were removed? On the inside, perhaps, but would it influence his external appearance?_

He watched numbly as a figure suddenly leapt at Kiken, tackling him to the ground and sending the drill spinning away from its wielder. Hinata's distant mind registered the fact that it was Ennoshita who had saved him, and was saying something. Something that the first-year couldn't make out, as it seemed that voices were underwater. He vaguely wondered if perhaps something was wrong with him, and that maybe he was about to pass out or something, and-

-and then the world shot back into focus with startling clarity, and his ears caught Ennoshita screaming, " _That's_ for Hinata,  _that's_ for trying to kill us,  _that's_ for being on the same goddamn island that we crash onto, and  _that's_ for Kinoshita!" He punctuated every 'that's' with a solid punch to Kiken's face, and Hinata chose never to anger Ennoshita again.

With the man's face bruised and bloodied, and the man himself in a state of near-consciousness and dazedness, Ennoshita decided that he'd have enough of using him as a punching bag, and got up, flicking drops of blood off his knuckles as if they were merely flecks of dirt.

"Hinata, are you okay?" He asked, kneeling in front of the first-year.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." He stuttered, clinging to Ennoshita as the latter helped him to his feet.

"You're bleeding!" The second-year exclaimed as Hinata used his left hand to balance himself, revealing his neck injury, where blood was still flowing freely. "C'mon; let's get you to Ukai. He'll know what to do."

Hinata wanted to protest, wanted to insist he's fine, but he wasn't sure if Ennoshita was still in a mood of one-wrong-move-and-I'll-hit-you, so he decided to just go along with it.

* * *

Asahi hoped that Ennoshita wouldn't be hurt, and that Hinata wasn't hurt either, as he watched the former stay in the room.

He began to tremble as he realised that his déjà vu seemed to be continuing, and if that was the case, then…

…he only hoped that the certain confrontation which appeared in his dream would stay hidden to fate, karma, and destiny, as he knew that if it did come to pass, then all Hell would break loose.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ennoshita and Hinata go to Ukai, where he is having an argument about when they should leave with Asahi, who's deja vu has not stopped...
> 
> Also, following a new development, Tanaka and Ukai travel to the room where Kiken treated Yamaguchi and Nishinoya to look for something, and end up finding more than they bargained for...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The lateness…no excuse I can come up with is enough. I apologise, is all I can say, but I have been busy (honestly).
> 
> But, I just hope you guys can forgive me for being almost two months since I updated.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Ennoshita couldn't stop glancing at Hinata in concern as the first-year walked alongside him, hand never leaving his still bleeding neck. The second-year had no idea if the flow had stopped or at least slowed, as Hinata's hand covered it up. However, the metallic scent that lingers in the air when blood is spilled was strong, and Ennoshita didn't feel well – his friend smelt like it after the crash. His friend, who just lost too much of it, and whose blood-pumping organ was in the wrong place at the wrong time-

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself, blinking furiously to hold back the tears which threatened to fall. He had to be strong in front of his injured underclassman; especially since the other reacted so numbly to his initial receiving of his injury. Ennoshita couldn't forget the sight of the short first-year falling to his knees and seemingly submitting to his fate as he watched, almost dreamily, as Kiken's drill descended upon him. He briefly wondered then if perhaps Kinoshita looked like that just before he di-

Feeling the all-too-familiar pricks in his eyes, Ennoshita forced himself to think about something else, as that topic was so sensitive and he felt on the verge of a breakdown every time so much as his  _name_ was said and he didn't know how much longer he could last until-

Shaking his head and wincing at the protest from his bruised cheek. He needed to be a pillar of support for Hinata right now, who he dreaded was falling into shock from his neck wound.

Glancing to his side, he thought about how quiet Hinata was, and how that concerned him greatly.

"Hey, Hinata." He began, trying to at least  _communicate,_ even if only a simple 'hello', with the boy to ensure that he was still aware of his surroundings.

The first-year turned his gaze towards him. "Hello? What's up?"

"I was just uh…well, I was worried – you were really quiet and I wanted to make sure you were okay." Ennoshita replied, rather taken aback by how quickly Hinata answered.

The middle blocker smiled, although it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine, Ennoshita. Honestly."

Ennoshita shook his head vigorously, ignoring his bruise. "No. No, don't use that cliché."

"What?" Hinata frowned.

"Don't use the 'I'm okay' cliché. You're not. Your neck is  _bleeding_ , Hinata – in what world is that classed as  _okay_?"

The first-year opened his mouth, before closing it again. After a moment, he replied, "My neck isn't bleeding as much anymore. I'll be okay. That's the truth." He sighed, lowering his gaze to the ground, before continuing, "After all, no matter how much pain I'm in there's always someone out there who's in more pain than I. Therefore, my pain is overruled in terms of severity and significance, and thus doesn't matter."

Ennoshita placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Don't say that; your pain is still there, and is still important, to you and to those around you."

"Not if others are worse off around me."

"It still amounts to something."

"But-"

"Ah, we're here. You know, that walk took much longer than expected." Ennoshita interrupted, realising that they had been walking at an extremely slow pace.

He noticed how Hinata glanced at him, before returning his gaze to the door which they stood in front of. Inside, they could hear panicked whispers and loud hisses.

Taking one last look at Hinata, Ennoshita reached forward and opened the door, revealing themselves to the reality of the situation, and returning themselves from the brief interlude of peace back to the chaos of the world they lived in.

"You must be out of your  _goddamn_ mind!" Was the first thing they heard as they entered the room. Typically enough, it was Ukai. "You can't simply expect us to sit around quietly overnight with a  _drill-wielding maniac_ running around!" In the room was Ukai and Asahi, and a bit further away was Tanaka, Nishinoya and Kiyoko.

"But we can't leave tonight!" Asahi defended himself.

"And why not?!"

"Because…" The third-year trailed off, looking down.

"Because  _what_?!" Ukai was getting frustrated – why was Asahi so against them leaving?

"Because…something bad will happen if we leave tonight."

"I'd rather take my chances with nature than with, if you would allow me to repeat, a  _drill-wielding maniac_!"

"I know he has a drill!" Asahi exclaimed, also getting frustrated – why couldn't Ukai see that something bad would happen if they left that night?

"There's only so much damage caterpillars and nettles can do; there's a  _lot_ of damage that a drill can do!" Ukai tried to reason with him, still unaware of the two new people in the room.

"It's not caterpillars or nettles! It's-" Asahi cut himself off, blinking back tears as an image from his déjà vu appeared in his mind's eye.

"We are leaving tonight, whether you like it or not, Asahi." Ukai said in a quieter and final tone. "I will  _not_ have you telling anyone else otherwise."

"Guys!" Tanaka called, just noticing Ennoshita and Hinata. His call attracted Ukai and Asahi's attention. "Thank God you're here – where's Kiken?"

"Dealt with for the time being – but he'll be coming round soon, most likely, and he won't be too happy with us." Ennoshita explained, before turning to Asahi. "I would highly recommend an immediate departure – but why do you reject this? Why do you want us to stay the night with, as Ukai rightly said, a 'drill-wielding maniac running around'?"

"I just…it's not safe, is all." Asahi mumbled, feeling like he was being ganged up on.

"And being in a house with  _Kiken_ is?" Ennoshita raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, I don't know! It's just not safe out there tonight. It won't end well..." He trailed off shyly, ashamed of his outburst.

"Ukai, do you think we're all capable of walking through dense jungle?" Kiyoko spoke up, raising a valid point. "After all, what with Yamaguchi's back, Nishinoya's abdomen and my knee – not to mention everyone else's numerous injuries – do you honestly believe we're in any fit state to walk any number of miles?"

"I understand where you're coming from, but I'm afraid we don't have much of a choice." Ukai sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Then we should leave tomorrow!" Asahi piped up.

"It doesn't matter if we go tonight or tomorrow – there's no difference, really. I'd just prefer to get you all away from Kiken as soon as possible, rather than wait a night, when, in the dark, anything could happen."

Kiyoko hummed thoughtfully, before stating, "Well, I should be okay. It'll hurt, yes, but I should be fine. But Yamaguchi and Nishinoya…I'm worried about them especially. I mean, I haven't seen Yamaguchi recently, but Nishinoya isn't even conscious right now…don't you think it may be too big a risk?"

"They'll be carried though, so they wouldn't be tired or pained by walking."

"But those who carry them can tire. Tsukishima's leg, for example, and Asahi's ankle – they could buckle at any time. Who will carry them then?" Kiyoko argued.

"I should be okay." Asahi spoke up timidly, raising a hand. All his confidence that had sprouted from his fears had drained away to his normal timid self.

"I just don't know if it's worth the risk. I mean, surely wouldn't it be easier to overpower him? After all, it's fifte- fourteen to one. They're pretty good odds, don't you think?" Kiyoko suggested. She didn't miss how Ennoshita flinched as she corrected herself, once again reminding herself that their numbers were down one.

Ukai shook his head. "No way. He has a weapon, and all of us have an injury of some sort. Two of us, who you all know of whom I speak, are completely out of action, and quite a few of us do not have full mobility right now, what with my foot, Asahi's ankle, your knee and Tsukishima's leg. Narita's ribs put him at a serious disadvantage, and Kageyama is weakened by his cold. In fact, in terms of mobility and strength, I'd say that only Yachi, Hinata and Ennoshita can face him head-on – that narrows it down to three to one, and he's also armed. I'm sorry, but it's just too dangerous."

"Actually, Hinata isn't in that list anyway; he has a deep cut on his neck from Kiken – we came here to see if you could help him." Ennoshita spoke up, turning everyone's attention to Hinata.

"You're hurt?! Sit, now!" Ukai barked, pointing at the floor from which the others were already sat. Obediently, the first-year sat down and removed his hand from his neck, allowing the coach to inspect his injury.

"Well…it hasn't hit the major artery, which is good…nor has it sliced the windpipe…it's not bleeding much now as well. My main concern is if the drill – which I presume caused this, if what Tanaka and Asahi was saying is true – was rusted in any way, which can lead to Tetanus…hopefully not, though." Ukai murmured aloud, before hurriedly adding, "But we'll be rescued soon, so he'll get proper treatment – not that there's anything to worry about, of course – I'm sure the drill wouldn't be rusted." The silent 'I hope' was heard in everyone's mind following his comment.

"So…will he be okay?" Asahi asked.

"Most likely, yes. He'll need something to put on it to ensure no infection sets in..." The adult trailed off, before his eyes lit up and he smirked. "You know…I know a place with  _excellent_ equipment essential for this task very nearby…I'm sure the owner won't mind."

Tanaka grinned. "If this is some feeble kind of revenge, it's still a kind of revenge, so I'm in. To raid the enemy's supplies!"

"Okay; you and I will go. We'll get extra bandages – if there is any, which I'm sure there is – and distribute them to everyone who requires one." Ukai decided, before beckoning the second-year. To the others, he declared, "We'll be back soon; after, we'll set out, okay? So gather everyone together, and make sure to stay away from Kiken – Ennoshita, whatever you did to him has given us peace, so thank you for that." With that, the pair left.

"I'm curious; what exactly  _did_ you do to him?" Kiyoko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I uh…kind of punched him a few times..." Ennoshita replied sheepishly.

The manager frowned. "Are you sure he was knocked out?"

The second-year's blood chilled. "I mean…I presumed so, but I didn't check…oh God…"

Her eyes widened and she struggled to her feet. "We have to make sure – if he's conscious, then-"

"-then he may come after us-" Asahi breathed with fear.

"-and wreak some serious havoc." Kiken finished, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Quietly, Tanaka and Ukai crept towards the room where Yamaguchi emerged from in a stage of panic before.

"Now remember; we only want the things we go for. Don't start rummaging through everything. Got it?" Ukai whispered, hoping that they wouldn't disturb the first-years, whose room they were passing – after all, that would cause pandemonium as they'd be worried about Hinata, the plan to leave that night, and, most of all, be afraid of Kiken.

"Yeah, sure." Tanaka replied, frowning at the sound of a door shutting behind him. Shrugging it off as just Asahi or Hinata's paranoia, he didn't look behind and continued on his way.

Ukai raised an eyebrow, not fully trusting Tanaka's word, but chose not to say anything, instead opting to slowly opening the door they had reached and entering the room beyond.

It was relatively organised, what with the items in the room tightly packed in a logical manner – although Ukai and Tanaka's attention was instantly drawn to the boxes of which most things were placed in.

"How did he get boxes…?" Tanaka murmured aloud, inspecting a nearby one. It contained, typically enough, bandages. "Ukai!" He called, instantly chiding himself for raising his voice, but adding, "I found them!"

The coach walked up to him and inspected the contents of the box, before nodding. "This is it. But…" He glanced around the room.

"But…?"

"It was almost too easy. I mean, there must be some sort of clue here, essential to finding out Kiken's true story – but where to start?" Ukai frowned as he scanned the room, everything looking orderly and nothing particularly suspicious – in terms of non-medical equipment, of course.

"I remember a particular adult who goes by the name of 'Ukai' saying not to snoop through anything after finding what we needed…" Tanaka smirked, glancing at the other.

"Watch it; when we get away from here, I'll have the authority, as your coach, to punish you as I see fit. Be careful what you say." Ukai warned.

The second-year's mood instantly changed then. "Do you really think we'll be rescued?"

The coach thought long and hard about how to answer that, before saying, "In all honesty, I don't know. Takeda worries a lot, so I'm sure he will have made some calls – whether any action will be taken; or rather, whether the authorities actually  _find_ this Godforsaken island, that depends on where the hell we are. I don't have a compass nor a map, so I don't have a clue."

"So…I should at least have a sliver of hope?" Tanaka asked.

Ukai turned to face him fully. "Don't  _ever_ stop hoping that we'll be saved – you tell the others that as well. To give up on hope is to give in to despair, and when that happens, there's no chance of being saved."

Tanaka smiled. "You sure do have a way with words, Coach." He began to walk away from the box of bandages, approaching the other end of the room, where there seemed to be a rather suspicious gap between two stacks of boxes.

 _This is all so wrong,_ Tanaka thought,  _I mean, all of this stuff…obviously the story that he told us was a bucket of lies, but then, how is there a truth in all this? It makes no sense._

He gasped as he realised that, between the stacks, was a door of the same style as the others in his house – it was shut, but closed doors seem to have an inability to stop anyone.

Cautiously, he pushed it open, revealing a tiny room with huge secrets. "Ukai!" He called, not caring about his volume anymore. "Come quick!"

"What?" Ukai said as he hurried over, thinking that something bad had happened.

"Look," Tanaka spread his arm to indicate the vast expanse of secrets in the small room, "at all this! And there's the book that Kageyama found! From the group of people!" He picked up the book, flicking through it, although he had to squint as the sun was beginning to hide behind the horizon.

"I think a more important book would be this one." Ukai mumbled, and Tanaka peered over at it.

"'The Journal of'…what the hell does that say? It's just a bunch of scribbles!" The second-year complained.

"It's a name which Kiken wanted to forget. He tried to scribble it out – and did a fine job of it, I must admit. But look at that in the corner." He pointed to the top left-hand corner, where an emblem of a compass in the centre of the world sat printed on the cover of the journal.

"What emblem is that of?" Tanaka asked.

"I don't know." Ukai responded. "But if I had to guess, I'd say a secret organisation that hasn't revealed itself to the world of explorers of some sort, if the compass and world are anything to go by."

"So…he's an explorer?"

"Which means that, adding this to all the supplies around him, he didn't come here by accident…he  _meant_ to come to this island! Which then means that…" Ukai trailed off, eyes widening.

"What?" Tanaka queried, still trying to absorb the coach's previous conclusion.

"Which means that he knows where this island lies in the world, and that he must have some form of connection to the rest of this organisation in order to pass on whatever information he finds from this island – so if we can find this connection, we can use it to make the authorities aware of our location, and get back home!" Ukai's eyes sparkled with excitement as he realised that they'd found a way to go home.

They could be rescued.

They could have hope.

And then  _he_ walked in.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight takes place.  
> A confrontation/interrogation takes place.  
> A mother hen's round of checking on others takes place.  
> And someone meets their end in the room where it happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: …Can I blame my mini hiatus on Christmas and New Year? No? Okay.
> 
> Seriously guys…three months late…geez. The thing is, I can't even promise a quicker update, as I'll probably end up breaking it again. So yes, I deserve to be poked multiple times with a flaming spatula, but please don't give up on the story – it's not the story's fault I suck so badly at time management; it's life's fault. So blame life. And me. Mainly me.
> 
> Without further ado, I bring you the next chapter, which may sort out the couple of cliffhangers from the previous chapter (and maybe reveal Kiken's true identity who knows?). This chapter is longer than the others, and please take its length as my attempt to make it up to you guys (also I got engrossed in the story and couldn't stop writing).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Kiyoko felt her blood freeze in her body as the drill-wielding maniac entered the room, with his drill in his right hand and a crazed grin on his face. There were several developing bruises marring his face, and his eyes flashed with rage when he caught sight of Ennoshita.

 _It's five to one,_ she thought,  _surely they're good odds – except Nishinoya's still out of action, Hinata's neck is still bleeding, albeit hopefully will stop soon, Asahi might not fight Kiken as he isn't particularly fond of violence…which leaves me – with a bad knee – and Ennoshita, against an armed enemy. I don't really like those odds after all._

Biting her lip, she scanned the room, anxiously searching for something to defend herself and her friends with. However, her search proved fruitless as there was simply nothing in there to use as a weapon. She glanced at Ennoshita, who was gently pushing Hinata behind him, and felt herself smile faintly. At least he understood that Hinata was in no shape to fight.

Wincing, Kiyoko pulled herself to her feet, leaning heavily on her good leg, and trying to minimise contact with her other leg and the floor. Sighing, she knew that she'd be no good in the inevitable fight to come, but still knew that she had to protect Nishinoya and Asahi, unless the latter found his strength to fight. She hoped so. Apart from Ennoshita, he was probably in the best shape.

One glance at him strengthened her hope, as he rose to his feet, fists clenched and stepping in front of Nishinoya, who was now blocked from Kiyoko's line of sight. Eyes flicking back to Ennoshita, she knew that he was ready for a rematch. A slight flicker of confidence lit in her heart as she dared to think that there was a chance they could defeat Kiken, united, as one.

Limping forward to stand closer to the other two, they effectively formed a line of sorts, blocking Kiken from reaching Nishinoya and Hinata, the latter of who was edging back, eyes glued, through a crack in the wall where Ennoshita's legs separated, on the drill which had drawn blood from him.

All were looking forward, so none noticed when Nishinoya finally began to stir.

Instead of faltering at the sight of unity, Kiken's grin widened and he flexed his left hand, curling it into a fist. "This will be  _fun_." He chuckled. "Yes, very fun. I can't wait for your expressions when I  _crush_ your rebellious spirit and  _destroy_ any hope that you may retain."

"You can try, but you won't succeed." Ennoshita replied calmly, eyes locking with Kiken's in defiance. "You will pay for what you've done."

"Is that so?" Kiken stepped forward, and Asahi was about to take a step back when he shook his head and stayed put. Kiyoko patted him on the arm reassuringly. He smiled gratefully at her, before returning his gaze to Kiken.

"What do you even want from us? To kill us? To terrorise us? Why offer to patch us up, and then try to kill us?" Kiyoko asked, eyes narrowing.

"Ah, stop buying time."

"What?"

Kiken rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows that if there's a fight like this and someone keeps talking, they're trying to buy time. I came here to kill, not chat." With that, he lunged, and the fight began.

He went straight for Ennoshita, drill swinging round in a wide arc. However, this method takes a second or two longer than a simple stab, so the second-year saw it coming and quickly dodged. However, the man anticipated this, and reached across his body with his left hand, bringing it up to punch Ennoshita and knock him off balance.

Kiyoko reached across and caught his fist before it reached the second-year, surprising Kiken before he shot his right hand forward, the drill gleaming in the dying sun's last light. To the manager's surprise, Asahi pulled her back out of the way in time for the drill to come to a halt harmlessly, inches from her chest.

Ennoshita then made a grab for Kiken's right hand while it was extended in an attempt to take the drill. His fingers closed around the man's wrist, and his other hand tried to prise open Kiken's fingers to seize the weapon. However, Kiken stubbornly refused to open his hand, keeping it tightly shut while wrenching his arm from Ennoshita's grip.

The violent tug that freed Kiken from his grip caused Ennoshita to stumble backwards, losing balance for a moment; which gave Kiken a perfect opportunity.

Twisting to face the second-year, he lunged forward with his left hand, aiming for the large bruise marring Ennoshita's cheek. Struggling to regain balance, the second-year barely dodged, enabling Kiken to bring the drill up in a wide arc, preparing to slash Ennoshita's chest to ribbons. Seeing what was to come but unable to dodge, Ennoshita could only stumble backwards and hold up his left arm in self-defence. The drill cut along his arm, creating a deep gash on his upper arm, missing his elbow, and tearing into his forearm, although the latter wound was less deep than the former.

Recoiling from the blow, he clutched his arm to his chest and backed away, giving Asahi a window to leap in and punch Kiken in the stomach, which caused him to double over in pain as the breath was knocked out of him. Despite this, he still clutched the weapon.

Before Kiken could recover, Asahi shoved him, and they both crashed to the ground. Kiken yelped, before cursing loudly as pain exploded in his left forearm. Out of pure habit, Asahi mumbled a quick apology, before catching Kiyoko's glare. The few seconds of potential opportunity to counterstrike were swiftly realised and taken advantage of by Kiken, who jabbed his right hand out at Asahi, drill pointing straight towards him.

Still on his knees from shoving the man to the floor, Asahi failed to evade the blow, only managing to lean to the side. The drill tore through his clothing, tore through his skin, and grazed a rib, all on his right-hand side. Kiyoko's eyes widened, as did Asahi's and Ennoshita's, before contorting into pure, unadulterated rage.

Asahi fell on to his backside, hand slowly rising to his bleeding wound. He couldn't feel anything – he was just…numb. He could see Kiken rising to meet someone (Kiyoko, as she avenged him) and Ennoshita kneeling before him, inspecting his injury, but he couldn't feel any pain. The adrenaline rush which caused him to attack Kiken had gone, and the fear which plagued his mind and controlled his actions had vanished into thin air. He just felt empty – empty, and mildly peaceful. He glanced at Ennoshita, who was speaking softly to him, but voices evaded him.  _Noises_ evaded him. And-

-And then everything came back to him all at once – the pain, the fear, the noises - almost knocking the breath out of him.

"-Know that you can hear me, so please respond, Asahi. Asahi!" He heard Ennoshita say, and saw the concern swimming in the second-year's eyes. He also saw the blood pouring from his left arm.

"Your arm!" He cried, with nothing else coming to mind at that moment.

"Just a scratch." Ennoshita shrugged his concern off like a leaf that had blown from a tree onto his shoulder, and pressed his right hand against Asahi's injury, which made him wince.

"Am I…am I okay? It hurts a lot, and…I don't know, maybe this is  _it_ , you know, I mean-" He was aware that he was rambling, but he couldn't stop – of course, until he was cut off.

"Just a scratch." Ennoshita repeated, removing his hand. "Grazed your right rib cage. Flesh wound; no organ damage. One rib might be slightly damaged - other than that, you're all good. Stem the bleeding, don't overdo yourself, and you'll be as right as rain soon enough."

"Since when were you a doctor?" Asahi couldn't help but ask.

"Since I've had to take care of you bumbling morons these past two years." The underclassman replied coolly, forgetting the fact that he was talking to his senior.

The third-year smiled slightly, despite everything that was occurring. "Unfortunately, it seems both you and I are out of action, leaving only Kiyoko against Kiken." He sighed, looking down. "I don't think we'll get through this. I mean, he took down us two, and he's still armed! It's hopeless!"

"Don't say things like that," Ennoshita fixed his eyes on Asahi's figure, slumped in defeat, "honestly, you're supposed to be my upperclassman. You're supposed to  _inspire_ your juniors, not  _deflate_ them like balloons." He shook his head. "Let's not forget the fact that you've seriously hurt, if not broken, his left radius. He has a vulnerability, a weak spot; let us hope Kiyoko exploits it."

"But surely she'd only do that if the fight turns ugly!" Asahi cried, horrified at the thought.

"The fight already  _is_ ugly," Ennoshita snapped, losing his temper, "and besides, do you not think we should even out the playing field a bit? He has the upper hand with the drill; Kiyoko needs all the advantages she can find."

Sighing in submission, and feeling rather scared of his underclassman, Asahi painfully turned around to watch the fight taking place as he spoke.

* * *

Ukai and Tanaka whirled around, horror painting their faces, and quite looking like two deer caught in headlights.

However, when they saw the intruder, they sighed with partial relief but still retained their wariness.

"Good eve- wait, you're not Mamoru!" The stranger exclaimed, causing the two others to leap into action.

Shooting to their feet (Tanaka swaying slightly from the sudden movement), they rapidly separated, Ukai going for the stranger and Tanaka going to bar the only escape route.

Once the stranger was well enough inside and the door was firmly shut, Ukai decided to question the newcomer.

"Who are you? Who is this 'Mamoru' you speak of? Is it Kiken?" He fired out the questions in rapid succession, so quickly that it took the stranger a couple of moments to comprehend them.

"My name is Makoto…and Mamoru is a colleague, who resides on this island. Why do you ask if he's 'danger'? What's going on? Who are  _you_?" He replied slowly and cautiously, glancing from Ukai to Tanaka behind him.

"We call him 'danger' because he's dangerous. After all, someone who tries to kill many people at once is often considered 'dangerous'." Tanaka replied. "And we happen to be two people of many who have been taken hostage by your madman of a colleague." The venom is his voice was obvious, as if merely speaking of Kiken, or Mamoru, burned him.

"Tanaka…" Ukai murmured warningly, silently ordering him to keep a lid on his emotions before he said something rash.

"What? It's true!" The second-year exclaimed, before turning back to Makoto, who had turned around fully. "We crashed here in a yacht during a storm, and that nasty piece of work you call a damn  _colleague_  took us in with white lies and patched a couple of us up; or so we thought, but he threatened one and drugged the other. Surely you would have known what he was doing all this time, huh?!" He was near the point of yelling, but if he realised it, he did nothing to quieten himself. "Explain yourself! Explain  _his_ actions! Explain this whole damn organisation, and where the hell we are; just explain  _everything_!"

The newcomer took a moment to collect his thoughts, and turn back round to face the coach, before stating simply, "This may take a while."

"We're certainly not going anywhere anytime soon." Ukai replied coolly.

Nodding, Makoto closed his eyes and began, "The organisation – IBEO – has been around for a few decades – not long, but not recent, either. So-"

"Do you mind telling us what the acronym stands for?" Tanaka cut in.

"Oh right, of course. It's the Infinite Beyond Expeditionary Organisation – although the 'E' is sometimes referred to as 'Explorers'' or 'Exploration'. It depends on your preference, really-"

"You've answered my question. Quit rambling and carry on." Tanaka interrupted again. Ukai couldn't help but think to himself,  _Damn, this kid would make a good interrogator._

"Well," Makoto continued, "I joined twenty-seven years ago, with Mamoru joining twenty-four years ago. You see, exploring the great unknown is a boy's dream, so people usually join at a young age and end up staying until they're too old to go on adventures. I still have twenty, maybe thirty in good health, years before I have to leave."

"How big is this organisation of yours that neither of us have heard of before?" Ukai asked bluntly, wanting to know how many madmen there were – or perhaps they were just plagued with bad luck and 'Mamoru' (Ukai preferred the name 'Kiken') was the only one.

"Not  _too_ big – a few hundred, or so." Makoto replied casually, as if it was no big deal.

"Oh great, there's hundreds of mini Kikens scurrying around. Fan-bloody-tastic." Tanaka muttered sarcastically, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Ah, there's the thing. Mamoru – or 'Kiken', as you call him – is… _unique_." He chose his words carefully.

"Meaning?" Ukai raised an eyebrow.

"Meaning he has a certain mindset about him that strikes many as… _concerning_ , to say the least."

"A mindset of sadistic murder being a perfectly acceptable hobby, you mean?" Tanaka spat rhetorically.

Makoto's gaze dropped to the floor. "I didn't realise anyone would come to this island. I'm sorry for not coming sooner, but there's a perfectly good reason. But still, do not hold me accountable for the crimes of my colleague."

"Well…" the bitterness in Tanaka's voice faded slightly as he trailed off, before he demanded, "tell us why you haven't come sooner. After all, if you knew about Kiken's mindset, why have you left him on a random island for him to do as he pleases?"

"He was initially sent to the island with a team of seven others when it was first discovered. They travelled on a giant boat, full of boxes upon boxes of all sorts of supplies should they need them. It was a big boat – hard to miss – so, since I didn't see it here, I presume that he destroyed it somehow. He was always good at destruction. I was the only one aware of his slight mental instability, but I thought a new adventure would do him good. But I was his superior, I should have known better…" Trailing off with a sigh, he stayed silent for a few moments, before Tanaka cleared his throat impatiently and he came to his senses. "Sorry. Anyway, they were set to return in three months' time, with a decision over whether or not the island was safe for human civilisation to settle. But…" Here he stopped again.

"But what?" Ukai pressed, although his voice sounded a lot gentler than before.

"But Mamoru was the only one to return."

Dread settled in the pit of Ukai's stomach. "The other seven weren't killed by natural causes or nature, were they? He killed them, and-"

"-became completely unstable – unhinged, some said. And then he went wild. He deleted the island from the database, and killed those closest to the discovery of the island who had stayed at headquarters. There were only two people left who had knowledge of the island."

"You and him, I suppose." Ukai realised, earning a surprised glance from Tanaka and a defeated sigh from Makoto.

"Yes."

"Why are you still alive then?" Tanaka asked bluntly and without sympathy.

"He tried to kill me. Guess I'm more like a possum than I thought."

"So you played dead, and the sadistic madman didn't cut you into pieces to ensure you were deceased." Ukai responded, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"He tried to." It was in this moment that Makoto lifted his hands up, and Ukai saw the truth in his tale. His left pinkie and index finger were missing, and his right pinkie and middle finger were also missing. The coach was horrified, and was grateful that Tanaka couldn't see the newcomer's hands in that moment. "He started with the hands, you see. Then he had an urge to carve something onto my back, as if I was a lump of clay. After that, I played dead, and he thought I'd died of blood loss or something, as he left me alone. Well, it was either that, or someone turned up and he bolted. I don't know; I passed out a few moments later."

"…What did he write?" Ukai asked after a moment's pause. The thought was too horrifying to comprehend.

"One word, in large letters. 'Forget'. I believe he was referring to not only the island, but himself. But I never forgot him; how could I, after the massacre I witnessed – and was involved in? Nay; I remember the event vividly. But the IBEO survived, miraculously. I think it was mostly due to the new discovery being kept mostly under wraps. Not many knew of it. Well, you know what they say: what you don't know can't hurt you. Or rather, what you don't know can't  _kill_ you."

"How did you survive?" Tanaka asked, with only horror in his voice.

"Someone was collecting the dead and discovered I was alive – barely, but still. By that point, though, Mamoru had fled. No-one ever found him. I believed he went to the island – a conclusion that proved accurate, it seems. It took me a good long while, but I found this island yesterday. It's such a small island that satellites don't pick it up. I suppose it's hidden by the radar signals nearby islands give out. I had to travel by sea, on a small boat. I also had to travel alone, as people thought I'd gone crazy; after all, who would take to the sea to search for ghosts? For faded remnants of a forgotten past?"

"How long has it been since…the incident?" Tanaka asked.

"Just over ten years."

Ukai perked up slightly at the mention of the newcomer's means of travel. "You have a boat?"

Makoto nodded, and the other two males in the room felt their spirits skyrocket, almost knocking them over with such a strong wave of hope.

"How big?"

"Not overly so. It's a small fishing boat." Ukai and Tanaka's spirits dipped slightly, by they still help hope.

"Where is it?"

"I moored it – well, beached it – on the other side of the island."

"How many people could it fit?" Tanaka asked desperately.

"I don't know."

"Give us an estimation. Please." The second-year was surprised at himself as he realised he was technically pleading.

"Um…five or six, maybe? Seven at a push." It was this moment that their hopes plummeted.

"That would mean around three trips. We don't know how long the journey would take, either." Ukai realised with a sad shake of his head.

"We can't leave anyone behind with Kiken. Either we all go, or none of us do. We can't risk depleting our numbers with that maniac running around." Tanaka reasoned, eyes burning with defiance.

"I know, Tanaka, but what choice do we have?" Suddenly, Ukai had an epiphany. "Actually…if we all leave – tonight, say – and arrive at the beach where the boat is at dawn, then we should be far enough away from Kiken – if he's knocked out or made immobile before we leave, that is."

"Do you think that'll work?" Tanaka asked doubtfully.

"Have you got a better plan?" Ukai snapped.

"…No. Sorry, Ukai. It's a good idea." The wing spiker apologised, feeling guilty for acting like a wet blanket when there was hope.

"Ah…sorry, kid. I shouldn't have snapped at you." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just…I'm getting sick of this place. I want to leave pronto. And if there's a slightest chance of escape with this guy's – Makoto's – boat, then I'll take it."

"Something's been bugging me." Makoto spoke up, earning the other two's full attention.

"What?"

"Where's Mamoru?"

Tanaka felt his heart skip a beat as he remembered the door to the room with Asahi and the others in shutting behind him, and how he'd thought nothing of it at the time.

* * *

Daichi scanned his surroundings for the umpteenth time. Asahi and Kiyoko were in the next room, and Ukai was…somewhere. Well, at least he had Sugawara.

"How do you think everyone is?" The vice-captain suddenly spoke up, bringing Daichi out of his musings. "I mean, the first-years are quiet, so I presume they're asleep – it is late, after all. But there's been yelling next door, and – I don't know, call it paranoia, but I get the feeling there might be a scuffle of some kind going on. I mean, where's Kiken?"

The name of the dangerous man sent shivers down Daichi's spine and seemed to rob him of his voice. Instead of speaking, he shrugged, wincing as it sent sharp spikes of pain into his broken arm. Huh. He'd forgotten about that.

"Are you okay?" Sugawara asked, voice laced with concern.  _As attentive as ever_ , Daichi thought,  _nothing slips by him._

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's your wrist?"

"Much better than your arm, that's for sure."

Daichi hummed a reply, and a comfortable silence descended upon the pair.

It wasn't five minutes later that the ashen-haired setter broke this silence again. "I'm just going to check on everyone."

"You worry too much."

"And sometimes, that's a good thing." With that, he left, leaving Daichi alone, and shaken by his parting words. A nagging feeling that something was wrong formed in the pit of his stomach, and he hoped his friend would be alright. He hoped  _everyone_ would be alright, and no more fatalities would occur.

Swallowing his emotions, he tried not to think about Kinoshita. The second-year was his junior, he was supposed to  _protect_ his underclassmen, and yet he messed up. Royally. He wasn't there for Kinoshita when the latter needed help, when he was lying in a ruined boat with a stake through his chest, blood painting the ground. He wasn't there to save him, and thus, his hands are painted with his junior's blood. Kinoshita paid the ultimate price for his absence.

Now, Daichi knew that he couldn't voice his thoughts to Suga, who would try to tell him that it wasn't his fault, and he couldn't talk to Ennoshita, who would blame himself and refuse to admit that Daichi was the one at fault.

It's funny really, how the actual storm had passed, yet the truly testing storm was just beginning. Daichi knew that Kinoshita's family would want justice, but who would they punish? Kiken? But he wasn't there during the storm. Ukai? After all, if he didn't organise the trip, then they wouldn't have been in a storm at sea. But he can't control nature. Or maybe they would punish him, as he was the captain, he was supposed to watch over and take care of his teammates, to be their second father, almost – yet he had screwed up at the most important moment. Now, his teammates were all injured, one was dead, two might soon join Kinoshita if help does not arrive quickly, and they were at the complete mercy of merciless maniac.

Sighing, Daichi wished the ground would swallow him up before he had to deal with Kinoshita's parents' horrified stares as they laid eyes open their son who had been alive the last time they saw him.

* * *

Sugawara knocked lightly on the first-years' door before quietly slipping inside. Hinata wasn't there, but he assumed the small middle blocker was checking in on Nishinoya. After all, he had heard the door to that room closing a little while ago. Yachi was fast asleep, curled into a ball near Yamaguchi, who was also asleep. Either that, or unconscious from his injury. Sugawara hoped it was the former. Tsukishima had obviously been keeping vigil over his vulnerable friend, but had succumbed to exhaustion, what with his slumped posture and chin on his chest.

Smiling slightly at the sight, Sugawara turned his gaze to Kageyama, who was staring back at him intently. He would be lying if he said he wasn't a little creeped out.

Kneeling beside the sick setter, he murmured quietly, "Hey, Kageyama. How are you feeling? And why aren't you asleep? You need rest the most, if you want to get rid of your cold quickly."

"I'm fine, Suga. I just can't sleep, knowing that there's a dangerous man roaming the house. I mean, he could come in at any time, and lord knows what would happen then. If we were all asleep, he could…he could…" He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"Don't worry," Sugawara reassured, "everything's going to be okay. I'm checking in on everyone now; if it'll help, you can come with me, if only to put your troubled soul to rest."

Kageyama considered this for a moment, before nodding his head. "I don't want to leave these guys defenceless, but this shouldn't take long, right? And besides, you're right – it would help massively."

"Great! Now come; I'll help you up." Standing up, the third-year stretched his good hand out to his underclassman, who took it gratefully and hauled himself to his feet.

Leaving the room with one last ocular sweep, Sugawara led the way down the hall to the next room on his agenda – the room he was the most concerned about.

Knocking on the door, he was surprised to find that there was no reply, but now he was closer to the room, he heard, most definitely, a fight of some sort going on. Which meant one thing.

Kiken was in that room.

Unable to contain himself, Sugawara burst into the room, thankful that these doors did not have locks, and found himself facing an unfair fight between an injured Kiyoko and a drill-wielding Kiken.

His eyes flashed with concern as he saw Ennoshita and Asahi both on the floor, holding a bleeding arm and a bleeding side respectively. Hinata was also with them, rubbing his neck, which looked like it had been recently bleeding but had stopped. However, he also felt a strange satisfaction over the fact that Kiken was holding his left arm sensitively to his chest.

Sugawara panicked as his and Kageyama's sudden arrival distracted Kiyoko for a few seconds, presenting Kiken with an opportunity to attack, of which Kiyoko only just dodged and caused her to lose her balance for a moment.

Something inside him snapped at the sight of the manager fighting a clearly one-sided fight, considering she could only dodge, whereas Kiken was purely on the offensive. Leaping forward, he grabbed Kiken's left arm – which he quickly realised was broken – whirled him around, and punched him right across the face. His nose made a sickening crack at the point of impact with Sugawara's fist, and it immediately began bleeding furiously.

Growling in annoyance and anger, Kiken lunged forward, his drill attempting to pierce Sugawara's skin and cause  _him_ to also bleed. Dodging gracefully to the side, the third-year followed up on the momentum by bringing his knee up as he spun back to face Kiken, causing his bony patella to crash into Kiken's left arm.

Howling in agony, the man stumbled backward, and Sugawara thought he may drop his drill and clutch his arm, but instead, he kept a firm grip on his weapon and turned his pain into fuel to attack with.

Racing forward, he slashed at the ashen-haired vice-captain with his drill, of which Sugawara quickly avoided by stepping backwards – and unfortunately playing right into Kiken's hands. Using the momentum built up from running, Kiken brought his knee up, hitting Sugawara right in the middle of his stomach, knocking the breath out of him and bringing him to his knees in shock.

Just as the man was about to bring the drill down upon the third-year's head, Kageyama was there, leaping at the enemy and sending him crashing to the floor for the second time that day. Well, it sure was an effective tactic.

It was Kiken's turn to become winded, and he lay there, struggling to catch his breath, as Kageyama got up and knelt beside Sugawara, much like the latter had done to him in the first-years' room.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Suga tried to respond, but he struggled to breathe through the pain in his stomach, so he chose to nod instead.

"I think-" But that was all the first-year could say as a knee suddenly connected with his face, sending him crashing to the side. Kiken stood over him, rage painted on his face, and was about to follow up with his trusty drill when Kiyoko played a risky card.

* * *

Kiyoko watched, frozen in place, as Sugawara protected her, and then Kageyama protected Sugawara, and she decided that it was time she completed the triangle of protection.

Limping within range of Kiken, who had just kneed Kageyama in the face, she balanced herself on her bad knee, ignoring the tremendous pain it caused, and brought her good leg up – right between Kiken's legs, and hitting its mark dead-on.

Immediately, Kiken collapsed on the floor, hands between his legs and drill finally lying abandoned on the floor next to him, but it came at a cost.

White-hot pain erupted from Kiyoko's knee, and she found it could no longer support her as she fell heavily to the floor. Her knee felt  _wrong_ , but she couldn't explain it. It was just  _pain_.

Sugawara rushed over to here, albeit wincing and clutching his stomach. His eyes clearly expressed concern as he inspected her knee.

"I think you may have torn a muscle – or dislocated your knee - or fractured your patella – I don't know, something bad. How do you feel? How much pain are you in?"

"Agony." She forced out through gritted teeth, nails digging into her palms.

Cursing quietly under his breath, he turned his head to stare in horror as Kiken shakily stood up, making sure to grab the drill, and approached Kageyama, who was only just recovering from the blow to his head.

Kiyoko knew there was no way she could help Kageyama, and Sugawara was frozen to the spot. She could see the guilt shining in his eyes, and she knew that he was blaming himself for not picking up the drill while it was lying discarded. A quick glance over at Ennoshita and the other two told her that there was a small chance of help from them. Ennoshita was extremely pale and looked like he was on the verge of passing out, probably from a combination of pain, shock and blood loss. Asahi's cut was also bleeding heavily, and he too looked pale, although he seemed better off than the second-year. Hinata's wound had stopped bleeding, but he was still shaken from it, and his eyes were fixed, almost unseeingly, upon the drill, which had nearly taken his life.

So if no-one in the room could help Kageyama, then were they all only to watch as one of their teammates was killed? The mere thought disgusted Kiyoko, but she was helpless, as were the others.

All of a sudden, Kiken stopped moving, and glanced down. Everyone else followed his gaze, to see a pale, shaking hand clutching his ankle. And when they all simultaneously followed the hand to its owner, they were beyond surprised to see none other than the seriously injured Nishinoya, pouring all his energy into holding Kiken's ankle, into stopping the man in his tracks – into saving his underclassman's life.

Such defiance burned in the libero's eyes when Kiyoko saw his face that she almost forgot he was badly injured.  _He's ignoring his own pain to save Kageyama. He can't get up, but that doesn't stop him,_ she thought in awe.

Sugawara seemed to find his legs in this moment, as he stood up and launched himself at the madman who found he couldn't react.

For the third time, Kiken was sent crashing to the floor, head hitting it at an awkward angle. The drill leapt out of his hand as his arm collided with the ground, and Sugawara grabbed it. Thoughts of everyone, of their injuries, on the numerous attempts on their life, flashed through his head, so clear that Kiyoko was sure Kiken could see them in his eyes, before the setter decided to have justice.

In that moment, time seemed to slow down. Sugawara raised the drill in his good hand, positioning it to bring it down upon the person who had tried to do this so many times before.

In that moment, Ukai, Tanaka and a stranger who Kiyoko did not recognise burst into the room, quickly finding Sugawara and Kiken on the ground. Ukai and Tanaka both yelled his name, and he froze, turning his head to stare at them in shock and horror.

And in that moment, the stranger darted forward, pushing the ashen-haired vice-captain out of the way and taking the drill off him.

"Hello, Mamoru." He murmured, causing Kiken's eyes to widen almost comically wide, before bringing the drill down into the madman's chest.

"Makoto?" He breathed, almost daring not to believe it, before coughing and smiling slightly. "I figured you'd find me."

The stranger, who Kiyoko presumed was Makoto, pushed the drill further in. "This is for your crimes, my old friend. May you reflect and repent in the afterlife."

Kiken's head fell back, and with one last exhale, he closed his eyes and went still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just here to say: fret not, dear readers, the story has not finished! They still have to escape the island, don't they? And don't forget about Takeda…
> 
> Anyway, thank you for staying with me during these past three months of me not updating, but the story is coming to a close (a few chapters, perhaps), so I hope you can stay a little longer.
> 
> Oh, and hopefully there shouldn't be another three-month gap of inactivity. If there is, then feel free to stab me with a spatula.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nishinoya's situation doesn't seem to be going great, but Tanaka and Asahi are right there with him.
> 
> Suga is reeling from the shock of everything, and the fact that he tried to kill Kiken.
> 
> Takeda gets a hopeful call, and salvation sets out for Ukai and the kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Takk for staying with me~ Lord knows waiting for something to come out is painful, so a month must be agony for you guys. I read each and every one of your comments, and they always make my day~
> 
> Oh, and warning: I have no medical knowledge whatsoever. Treatment for something (I won't say what) is mentioned, and I researched it and promptly forgot the majority of it. All I know about medicine is that it's this magical chemical stuff that makes you feel better. A* explanation right there.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Nishinoya bleakly opened his eyes, revealing a blurry world. Distant noises filtered through his ears, although none were clear enough for him to decipher. Shapes drifted around him, and he poured what surprisingly little energy he had into focusing his vision and hearing.  _Strange,_ he thought,  _it usually takes a lot to deplete my energy._

And then everything came back to him like a giant wave, crashing over him and engulfing him in the memories, the fear and, most significantly, the pain. He remembered Kiken pricking him with something small and sharp ( _needle,_ his brain helpfully supplied), and then…darkness. He vaguely remembered voices, but he put it down to paranoia.

Turning his mind to the present, Nishinoya tried to sit up, as he pinpointed the commotion to somewhere behind him, and he wanted to see what was happening. However, this proved to be a bad idea, as he didn't get very far before white-hot agony shot up his side, temporarily barring his vision and blocking out the noises from behind him.

This fortunately faded as his injury's protest died down, and he managed to angle his body slightly so, if he craned his neck awkwardly, he could just about make out what was occurring. Straining his neck hurt his side, but he ignored this pain as he saw Kiyoko, dear lovely Kiyoko, being attacked by Kiken. A wave of anger washed over him, blocking out the pain, and filled him with a fierce desire to leap at Kiken and teach him a lesson.

 _Wishful thinking, Yuu,_ he reprimanded himself,  _if you can't get up, what chance do you have at protecting Kiyoko?_ He sighed sadly, his neck starting to ache. His senses were starting to numb again, just like they had when Kiken had injected him with something ( _anaesthetic,_ his brain suggested), and he knew he was going to pass out soon. He supposed he'd used up what little energy had been left after the yacht crashed to focus his senses. Now that was gone, there was nothing but his stubbornness keeping him from succumbing to the darkness once more.

Supressing a groan at the nauseating dizziness plaguing him, Nishinoya rested his neck in its normal position, sighing as the sounds around him dimmed into mere background noise, and his heartbeat occupied his eardrums. He closed his eyes as his surroundings spun around him, becoming restless shapes and not helping his nausea in the slightest.

To make matters worse, his side began to feel warmer than before, and he figured that trying to sit up and craning his neck had opened his wound, causing more of his blood to spill.  _As if I need to lose more,_ he thought as reality began to distort.

His eyes snapped open at a loud thud which came out of nowhere and drowned out his heartbeat for a second. Once again craning his neck awkwardly, he saw a black hole that wasn't there before, and figured that either his vision had a giant black spot in it, or the door was open.

Suddenly, a figure stumbled towards him, causing a rush of adrenaline and fear to give him a moment of clarity. His eyesight showed Kiken being the person with a lack of balance, and also Sugawara, who hadn't noticed him yet.

Nishinoya's eyes widened as he saw Kiken's knee connect with Sugawara's stomach, forcing the setter to his knees. He wanted to move, to help his upperclassman, but he  _couldn't_ , he just  _couldn't_ , and that hurt about as much as the scorching pain in his abdomen.

Out of nowhere, Kageyama burst into existence and slammed the deranged maniac to the ground, quite close to Nishinoya, who seemed to have turned invisible recently. The first-year left Kiken ( _Bad move,_ he silently commented) in favour of checking on Sugawara, who was still recovering from the powerful attack.

The libero had the perfect view when the violent man staggered to his feet and approached Kageyama. He wanted to scream at the raven-haired setter to  _move_ , but, like before, he couldn't, so all he could do was watch helplessly as Kageyama was sent sprawling to the side, courtesy of Kiken's knee.

 _Geez, this guy really likes hitting people with his knees,_ Nishinoya thought as he watched an expression of sadistic satisfaction spread across Kiken's face.

When the enemy started to approach the fallen first-year, he was filled with rage.  _How_ dare _that man!_ Nishinoya roared in his head. He considered reaching out and grabbing Kiken's ankle, to stop him in his tracks, to protect his underclassman, to do  _something_ ; but before he could react, Kiyoko was there, kicking him in the place that no man wants to be kicked.

The second-year watched in horror as the manager collapsed to the ground, pain displayed on her flawless features.  _Kiyoko! You were so brave, so selfless! You sacrificed your knee for your underclassman! A true angel!_ Nishinoya's eyes sparkled in awe and adoration, before he remembered the situation at hand.

Turning back to Kageyama, who was just regaining his senses after the blow to his head, the libero's eyebrows rose as he saw Kiken getting back to his feet.  _To get up so quickly after a blow to the place where the sun doesn't shine takes some serious balls – or what's left of them, anyway,_ Nishinoya bit back a small smile at the reminder that Kiyoko selflessly saved Kageyama.

His expression soon morphed into horror as he saw Kiken approaching the first-year, rage etched into his face. Nishinoya could sense the malicious intent radiating off the man and was filled with a desperation to help. He had to do something, he  _had_ to, injury be damned.

Drawing strength from this determination, he flipped over onto his stomach, the pain blocked out by his will to protect others, and reached out, grabbing Kiken's ankle and anchoring him in place. He felt the room go silent, felt everyone stare at him, felt everyone's guilt at forgetting he was there the whole time, and, most of all, he felt relief at stopping his teammate from being killed.

He cursed the tremble in his hand, making him look weak, as he poured all of his strength into holding the maniac there – even if it resulted in Kiken chopping his hand off or something. He would be willing to sacrifice his hand for Kageyama's life.

It didn't come to that, though, as Sugawara suddenly leapt up and barrelled into Kiken. Knowing that he would only be in the way now, Nishinoya relinquished his hold on the man's ankle as he tumbled to the floor, and brought it back to curl around his side, which was getting increasingly warmer and stickier. His energy seemed to be draining faster than before, and he knew that his actions had completely reopened his wound.

A sudden wave of agony crashed into his side, and he bit his lip so hard he was surprised he didn't make it bleed. To make matters worse, the adrenaline was wearing off, meaning he had even less strength to attempt to staunch the blood flow – not that his hand was doing much good. The pressure hurt more, and made him feel even weaker, so he had no choice but to give up.

His hand was already soaked through with blood –  _his_ blood, a thought which sickened him – and his senses were beginning to fade again. The only sense that remained alert was, annoyingly enough, pain. It engulfed him (the scent of copper engulfed him), choked him (the blood in his mouth choked him, made it hard for him to breathe) and drained his energy (as his blood spilled onto the ground, it drained his energy, along with his life). This was a fight he couldn't win. It was hopeless.

He closed his eyes.

All went quiet.

He went numb.

 _No_ , he thought weakly,  _not yet. Not today. I'm not done with life yet._

His body began to tingle with feeling. He felt the ground beneath him, felt the clothes on his skin. He felt the pain in his side – a sign he was still alive.

_It's not over yet. I'm not going to give up._

Noises around him returned. He heard the voices of others, heard the heavy breathing of those waiting in apprehension of what was about to happen. He heard his heartbeat thundering away in his ear – a sign he was still alive.

 _I'm stubborn as hell, so I'll keep fighting! I_ won't _leave my friends!_

He opened his heavy eyelids, revealing to him a world of conflict and tension. He saw blood on some people, saw the transfixed stares of everyone in the room, focused intently on something that he hadn't yet seen. He followed their gazes to watch in horror as a stranger whom he didn't recognise brought the drill which the crazy man had been wielding down upon Kiken. He heard them talking quietly, before Kiken closed his eyes and went still.

Nishinoya's mouth was agape as he realised that the man who had tried to kill them was dead; killed at the hands of a stranger –  _although by the way they were talking, I'd say they knew each other,_ he thought. One thing was absolute: he was 100% dead.

Kiken was gone.

 _There better be an explanation for this guy – and Kiken, of course,_ the libero growled in his head.  _But someone will have to fill me in later. I'm exhausted._

Sighing, he painfully flipped back onto his back, and exhaled deeply, before wincing at the protest his injury gave him. As his eyes began to close, he saw someone rush over to him and kneel beside him, before shaking his shoulder with a trembling hand.

Hissing loudly at the agony that punished him for being shaken, he opened his eyes again to see Asahi frantically apologising.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sor-" The third-year repeated the same word over and over as if it was a mantra.

"It's fine, Asahi. Just startled me is all." Nishinoya interrupted, pain and exhaustion evident in his voice.

"O-Oh, sorry about that. Are you…are you alright? I mean, obviously you're  _not_ alright, but…are you alright?" Asahi rambled, aware that he was making no sense.

"I'm fine, Asahi. Wait- is that blood?! You're hurt?!" He tried to sit up as he noticed the blood on the right side of Asahi's chest, but instantly regretted it as a bolt of pain shocked him and stole his breath, causing him to groan and stay still.

"I-It's just a scratch, that's all." Sheepishly, the ace looked down, away from Nishinoya's face – and that's when he saw the growing puddle of blood. Shrieking in a very unmanly fashion, he exclaimed, "Noya! You're bleeding! Oh my lord, oh my lord, oh my lord-"

" _Yuu_!" Nishinoya heard the familiar shout of Tanaka as the wing spiker raced over, dropping to his knees none-too-gently as he stared in horror at Nishinoya's blood-soaked shirt. Peeling it away revealed an equally soaked bandage, painted dark red.

Cursing loudly, Tanaka took his shirt off and immediately pressed it into the wound in an attempt to staunch the blood flow.

Predictably, the libero cried out in pain and tried to jerk his body away from the sudden spike in pain. Wincing in sympathy, Asahi tried to whisper words of comfort to him, but they were drowned out by Nishinoya's heartbeat thudding in his ears.

He knew that Tanaka was doing the right thing, that he was trying to save his life, but the pain was almost too much to bear.

He succumbed to the darkness soon after.

* * *

Asahi watched in horror as Nishinoya passed out before him. A glance at Tanaka told him that the second-year was equally as terrified and concerned.

He was still trying to overcome what had occurred. After all, Kiken had tried to kill them, but to meet such an abrupt end…he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of pity. Of course, if he mentioned this to anyone, they would skin him in a fraction of a second.

For a short while after the stranger had suddenly killed Kiken, he'd sat there, staring unblinkingly at the body with a distant expression on his face, as if he'd momentarily tuned out of life. The past few minutes had kept playing over and over again in his head. How Kageyama's face was morphed into an expression of horror and helplessness, how Asahi couldn't help, how everyone seemed frozen to the spot, unable to save their underclassman – and how Nishinoya had ignored his severe injury and had saved his junior's life.

_Nishinoya._

Eyes widening, he'd turned to stare at Nishinoya, whose eyes were slowly closing. Fearing the worst, he scrambled to his feet, ignoring the sudden dizziness that assaulted him from blood loss and raced over to the libero. His eyes had been so fixated upon the second-year's slack expression, and the slowly disappearing eyes, that he hadn't noticed the large blood stain.

Asahi was kicking himself for not noticing it before. Instead of rambling and making no sense, he should have been staunching the blood flow! But, like the blubbering idiot he was, he was oblivious to a giant bloody puddle until it was too late.

 _Don't think things like that, Asahi!_ He chided himself.  _Nishinoya's not dead; just unconscious. Right?_

"Tanaka…" He murmured quietly, taking into account his underclassman's seemingly peaceful expression and extremely pale face.

"Hmm? What's up?"

"I think he might-"

"It's stopping!" Tanaka interrupted gleefully.

"Wh-what?"

"The blood flow! Stay in his body, you menace!" The wing spiker yelled at the blood still in Nishinoya's veins.

"But doesn't that mean-"

"His breathing's getting stronger! I daresay he'll get through this easily!" He laughed proudly. "After all, nothing could keep Yuu down for long. A man truly worthy of respect!"

Relief flooded Asahi's senses, threatening to overpower him.  _Nishinoya will be alright,_ he thought,  _he'll be alright._

"Oh, and sorry for interrupting you. What were you going to say before?" Tanaka asked.

"Ah…nothing." Asahi replied, glancing at the libero's face.

The wing spiker cocked his head to the side. "Are you sure?"

The third-year was quiet for a moment, before saying, "Yeah." He didn't want to worry his underclassman with thoughts of their friend's possible demise, especially when he held such a strong belief for his friend's recovery. Besides, he should be hopeful as well; after all, Nishinoya was one of the strongest people he knew. If anyone could survive this, it would be Nishinoya.

Sometimes, he wished he could have the libero's courage – Lord knows he'd need it if his déjà vu stuck with him to the end.

* * *

Sugawara felt like he was suffocating. The air was filled with judgement. After all, he had just tried to kill someone. He had just tried to  _kill_ someone. That's murder. That's homicide. That's  _illegal_ , and he'd be damned if he thought he would have gotten away with it. His friends might have called it self-defence or made it out to be justice of some sort, but murder is still murder.

And he was about to  _commit murder in front of half of his team._

He could feel their stares burning into him. They were cautious. They were nervous. Even Daichi was stepping around him-

Daichi walked right up to him and embraced him in a strong, one-armed hug. It caught him completely off-guard, as the captain wasn't the kind of person to distribute hugs often.

Sugawara froze for a few seconds, before his shoulders shook and he wrapped his good arm around his friend, burying his face into the other's shoulder.

"It's okay Koushi, it's okay." Daichi murmured softly, resting his chin atop the vice-captain's head.

"It's not, it's really not." Sugawara replied bitterly, self-loathing evident in his voice. "I nearly  _killed_ someone, Daichi. That's something that cannot be fixed nor forgiven."

"In our circumstances, it can be forgiven. You acted to protect your teammates, Koushi. You acted to save their lives, even if it meant taking another's life. Besides, Kiken's dead now, so he can't hurt anyone anymore – but his blood is not on your hands, you hear? You  _did not_ kill Kiken."

"I was about to."

"But you didn't."

"Daichi, it doesn't matter if I did or did not go through with it. The point is, I was  _about to kill someone_. That's…how can the second-years and first-years ever trust me again?"

The captain pulled out of the hug and placed his good hand firmly on his fellow third-year's shoulder. " _Koushi._ You're too hard on yourself.  _I_  forgive you, and I'm sure the kids all forgive you, but you need to forgive  _yourself_. Now, I don't think this room is doing anyone any good. Let's go to the first-years' room, yeah?" He spoke far gentler than ever before, knowing how fragile Sugawara was at the moment. The wrong word would deal a hammer blow, shattering his friend.

With an arm around Sugawara's shoulder, Daichi guided the setter out of the room, before stopping just outside and saying to the people in the room with his strong voice, "Could you all come to the first-years' room?" Without waiting for a reply, he continued on his way with Sugawara.

"You heard him. Come on." The captain heard Ukai say from behind. The sounds of footsteps from behind drowned out Daichi's own, but he had no time to ponder on it as they had arrived.

Knocking on the door before opening it, Daichi was surprised to see everyone fast asleep, although the knock had caused Yachi to stir.

"Hmm?" She hummed sleepily, rubbing her eyes and stretching. "Ah, Sugawara! Sawamura! How long was I asleep? Sorry, sorry!"

"No need to apologise, you needed your sleep. But could you wake Tsukishima and Yamaguchi? We need to fill you in on what's happened." Daichi asked, struggling to keep his voice calm as Sugawara tensed below his arm.

After earning a nod from the manager, the captain set about lowering Sugawara to the floor before sitting himself. The other's body seemed unresponsive, and it was quite a struggle to get his legs into a comfortable-looking position. Daichi feared that his friend was reliving the memory at the mention of the event.

Daichi was still explaining by the time the rest of the team entered the room, each one moving slowly and robotically, still trying to come to terms with what they witnessed. Tanaka was carrying Nishinoya as Asahi subconsciously placed a hand over his chest injury. Ennoshita and Kageyama were supporting each other, Kageyama disorientated from the blow to his head, and Ennoshita dizzy from blood loss. Ukai walked right behind them, his hands on their shoulders. Hinata walked beside Kageyama, seeming a lot more lucid than before. Makoto walked behind them all, still casting glances back to the room which contained his deceased old friend.

"…and after Kiken was knocked to the ground, the newcomer burst in and killed him." Daichi finished, glancing at Ukai.

Tsukishima's eyes widened a fraction, before they narrowed in suspicion. "Are you sure that's everything?"

Daichi nodded, hating having to lie but knowing that he had to protect Sugawara in his delicate state.

"Why does Sugawara look so shaken, then?"

"Tsukki, they saw someone die. I'm surprised they're not all as bad as Sugawara." Yamaguchi rasped, his throat dry and his back aching. On top of that, his eye was bothering him, but he chose not to say anything, especially not now that everyone was present.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow at him, his cliché 'shut up, Yamaguchi' on the tip of his tongue, but he bit it back and instead shrugged, turning to Makoto as he appeared through the doorway. "So, who are you? I'm sure you'll know about everything, right?"

The stranger nodded. "I've explained everything to…you know, I can't remember their names."

"Ukai and Tanaka." Tanaka chipped in airily, as if a teacher had forgotten his name in school.

"Yes, I've told them. If you want, I can tell you about the whole thing, but it's dark, and it would probably be best to get off this cursed island as soon as possible."

"When we're back home, I'll tell you guys, if you're still interested." Ukai offered.

Hinata perked up. "We're definitely going home?" He asked, hope filling his voice.

The coach glanced at the other adult. "Makoto has provided us with a means of escape."

"What? What? Ooh, tell us!" There was no mistaking the excitement in Hinata's voice. After all, it had been a hard few days, and a chance at freedom was just what he needed. What they  _all_ needed.

"Makoto has a boat on the other side of the island. We can use it to get to the nearest island and contact the authorities."

"Why do we need to contact the authorities if we'd all be off the island?" Kageyama asked, coughing into his hand.

Ukai was hesitant to respond for a few moments, before replying, "I'm afraid the boat can only carry five or six people at a time. That would be three trips. It would be best to send the most severe cases off with Makoto, and the rest of us wait around on the beach until help arrives."

"'Wait around on the beach'?" Hinata echoed, his stomach rumbling. "I'm hungry now; I don't think I can wait a few more days!"

"It's the best plan we've got." Ukai replied.

"What about Takeda?" Asahi asked. "Would he have told someone?"

Ukai grinned. "Without a doubt." Then his grin faltered. "The problem is whether or not he or Search & Rescue can find us."

A tense silence filled the room as each person pondered their situation, before Makoto said, "Well, I'll go on ahead to make sure the boat's ready."

"Now? But it's dark!" Narita exclaimed, eyes widening.

"I prefer the darkness. Also, I won't go through the jungle; there's a sort of route along the coast – you lot would be better off going through the jungle, though, unless you fancy some rock-climbing on the cliff face." Without waiting for a response, he walked out the room, closing the door to on his way out.

Once he was gone, Kiyoko leant forward and murmured, "I don't really trust him. He's too mysterious – and he's left to 'make sure the boat's ready'. How different could it really be from when he left it?"

"He has to make room to accommodate guests, I guess." Daichi shrugged, wincing as his arm protested painfully.

"'Make room'? You can't seriously be saying that he has many possessions on this boat of his – which, might I add, none of us have seen. Not to mention the fact that no-one went with him, so what's to say he won't take off without us? 'Other side of the island' isn't specific enough. He could be three days gone before we realise he left without us."

"Kiyoko's so smart~" Tanaka cooed. "She could be a detective~"

"Well, we'll just have to leave now, then. He's going along the coast, which is a longer route than through the heart of the jungle. We'll move slower than he will, and he had a head start, but he mentioned scaling cliffs, which will slow him down. I daresay we may beat him to his boat." Ukai reasoned.

"If we can find it." Asahi muttered darkly.

Sugawara seemed to return to his usual self then, as he used his good hand to karate chop the ace in the side. "Negative beard!" He yelled, earning chuckles from the others.

"Wh-why?!" Asahi whined, clutching his side. "Other people were being pessimistic too!"

An amused smile graced Sugawara's lips, and Daichi swore that he would never let his friend get so down again.

Suddenly, Tsukishima whipped his head around to where Tanaka and Nishinoya were as he remembered something.

Murmuring a quick apology to Yamaguchi, he rushed to his feet, cursing as his leg twinged, and quick-walked/quick-limped over to the pair of second-years.

"How's Nishinoya doing?" He whispered urgently, as other conversations started to take place around them, effectively drowning him out to all ears except Tanaka's.

"Uh…he lost a bit more blood, but he was awake, so…he's doing neutral?"

"'He's doing neutral'. It's hard to believe you're a high-schooler." Tsukishima muttered under his breath, before saying, "I need to see his injury. It's important."

Sensing the urgency in the first-year's voice, the wing spiker nodded and started gently peeling off Nishinoya's soaked bandages, which would need changing before they left. As soon as pale skin was visible, Tanaka backed off and let Tsukishima do whatever the hell he wanted to do. To Tanaka, it looked like he was inspecting the injury for something.

Sighing in relief after a minute or so, Tsukishima leant back on his arms and remained silent, although a lot less tense and panicked (he would, of course, deny being in a frenzy).

"So…are you going to tell me what that was about?" Tanaka asked with a raised eyebrow.

"When Nishinoya was first found, I noticed red lines around his wound."

"That would be blood."

Tsukishima shot his upperclassman a piercing death glare. "I decided not to say anything, as if my fears were true, then there would be nothing we could do for him. But I've just looked now, and they're gone, which means it was either a trick of the light – I doubt it very much though – or Kiken somehow has the treatment to cure it. Which, after all we've seen and heard, wouldn't surprise me."

"What did you think he had?"

The middle blocker locked eyes with the second-year. "Sepsis." He said, expecting a gasp or something from Tanaka. Instead, he got a blank look. "You know, blood poisoning?"

"Ohh," the penny dropped for Tanaka, "wait, does that mean Yuu nearly died?!"

Hissing at him to keep his voice down, Tsukishima replied, "Yes. But Kiken managed to treat it."

"What's going on? What's this about Nishinoya nearly dying? And why have you taken his bandage off?!" Asahi bombarded them with questions as he left his conversation with Daichi and Sugawara and joined the second- and first-years.

"Tsukishima said that-" Tanaka cut himself off after receiving a warning glance from the blonde.

"What did he say?" Asahi asked, eyes wide with fear.

"Nothing." Tsukishima replied coolly.

"He was just being a pessimist." Tanaka chipped in, ignoring the way the middle blocker's eyes narrowed slightly in irritation.

"Oh, you don't want Suga to hear you. He may jab you in the side." The ace warned. "Although he only seems to hit me." He added under his breath.

"Noted." Tsukishima replied, abruptly ending the conversation.

After a minute of awkward silence, Tanaka queried, "So Asahi, you kept rejecting the idea of leaving tonight, before…everything happened. Are you still against it, or have you come to your senses?"

The mention of his fears brought back his déjà vu, and the horrors to come. "Ah, I forgot! No, we can't go tonight! It's too dangerous!"

Before Tanaka or Tsukishima could respond, Ukai clapped his hands together. "Right guys, we're wasting time by chatting! Come on, let's find some provisions and head out."

Cheering, the Karasuno Volleyball Club were filled with the excitement of freedom, and all filed out of the room – all except one.

Asahi was frozen to the spot, terrified. All was coming true. The Stranger. The Truth. The Death. The Escape.

And soon, the Tragedy.

* * *

It didn't register to Takeda that he was pacing until his phone started ringing and he was on the opposite side of the room. Rushing over to the small device, he picked up the call and said hurriedly, "This is Takeda Ittetsu."

" _Hello, this is Search & Rescue. I'm ringing to tell you that we think we've pinpointed the Karasuno Volleyball Club's location via satellite. We've been focusing on seriously improving our satellites recently, you see."_

"You-you found them?" That was all Takeda felt he could say without his voice breaking in emotion.

The other line was quiet for a moment, carefully composing a reply, before saying,  _"We're pretty positive."_

Takeda found he couldn't speak, the thought of being reunited with his second family overwhelmingly powerful. The school and the town had been worried when news of the missing team reached their ears, and he'd been getting no end of emails and phone calls from people informing him that they hoped for the club's safe return and hoped that he was in good health throughout this. He'd had a couple of phone calls earlier that day, and had been desperately hoping that this call had been Search & Rescue.

"… _Sir?"_  The other line cautiously murmured, and Takeda realised he'd been quiet for nearly a minute.

"Ah, sorry, I was thinking. Did you say something?"

" _Yes, I'd asked if you'd like to come with us. Normally we wouldn't take citizens because of protocol and the risks, but I suppose one extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt…not to mention you would probably have asked anyway, am I right?"_

"Of course I'll come! Thank you so much for offering, I know you shouldn't, but…thank you. And yes, I probably would have asked. I can be quite… _persuasive_ sometimes."

The person on the other line chuckled.  _"Do you want to come over at 9AM tomorrow? We'll be down at the docks. We'll explain everything there to you."_

"9AM is fine. I'll be there. Thank you once more."

" _No problem. It's my job."_  With that, the call ended, and Takeda knew that he would soon be reunited with Ukai and the club.

Takeda arrived at the dock at 8:30AM the following morning, half an hour early, with barely any sleep the previous night. The Search & Rescue team were there, luckily, and were just loading up their boat. It looked fairly big, and he hoped that there would be enough room for the club, the team helping them and himself.

"Ah, you must be Takeda. We spoke on the phone." A middle-aged man with short brown hair walked up to him, holding his hand out for a handshake.

"That's correct." He nodded, taking the other's hand.

"Right, well let's get you filled in, yeah?" The man guided Takeda on board the boat, and began, "Okay, so we'll be departing at 9:30AM, and a helicopter will be taking off at 9:15AM. It will scout ahead to the co-ordinates of the island and if it finds a shipwreck of a yacht or, hopefully, people on the beach, then it will radio us the precise location and we can alter our course if necessary. We predict we'll reach the island by around 12-1PM."

"That long?" Takeda's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"It's a very remote island. Lord knows how they managed to drift that far off-course. But then again, in the midst of a storm, one can think they're going the right way, and can end up only getting further away from their goal."

"True. Well, thank you for all this. I don't know what I would have done if you had refused to help me."

The man put a hand on his shoulder. "It's my job, Takeda. I will always help people who need it."

Takeda smiled and nodded, and the man left to attend to something. Sighing, he walked over to the bow of the ship and stared out at the water.

_Don't worry, everyone. I'm coming. Salvation is upon you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so I just want to explain something lest I confuse you: Takeda is in the next day, but Ukai and the kids are in the previous day, at night, and are about to set off. So we probably won't go back to Takeda until the others are in the next day. Just thought I'd make you aware.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karasuno prepare to leave at last, but an accidental, reckless comment causes Yamaguchi to storm out. Only one person can truly comfort the emotionally fragile first-year.
> 
> Also, Asahi's fears have never been stronger when they set out, but he tries not to complain.
> 
> But will his fears come true?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Ukai sighed as he watched the kids be…well, kids. How they bickered over tiny things ("It's  _my_ biscuit! I picked it up first!" Hinata shrieked. "Well I'm older, so it's automatically mine!" Tanaka retorted, snatching the biscuit.), how they (Tsukishima, mostly) rolled their eyes at the others' childish antics; the coach had to remind himself that, even after all that they'd been through, they were only teenagers – children, in the law's eyes. Soon to be young adults, though.

He was brought out of his musings when a biscuit nearly took his eye out, and he had to quickly snap his head to the side to avoid the edible missile.

"Oi! Watch it, you two!" He snapped at Tanaka and Hinata, who were staring at him in horror but clearly trying to hold back laughter. "You nearly half-blinded me!" As soon as he said it, Ukai froze, quickly turning to Yamaguchi. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." The first-year interrupted, standing briskly and ignoring the pain that flared in his back. When Ukai opened his mouth to say something, Yamaguchi repeated, "It's fine," and left the room, although he walked much slower than he wanted to due to every step being agony.

The blonde slapped a hand to his forehead. "Ah, I'm so insensitive! To say something like that, with him  _right there_ ; dammit!" His other hand curled into a fist and slammed into the wall he was leaning on.

"Don't beat yourself up, Coach – you can't be expected to remember everything. This has been a taxing ordeal; you can be excused a few mistakes, right?" Hinata chirped, trying to cheer him up.

"Either way, I'll go talk to him." Tsukishima spoke up, before exiting the room promptly after.

"…Well, is everyone ready to go?" Daichi asked after an awkward silence, making sure to project his voice loudly.

"No…" Asahi mumbled miserably, although it fell on deaf ears due to the volume being too low for anyone to hear it but himself. On top of this, it was drowned out by a sea of variations of the word 'yes' which all conveyed the same meaning, and all conveyed the opposite meaning of Asahi's answer.

"Let's go!" Daichi raised his good hand and grinned.

"To freedom!" Sugawara cheered.

"To home!" Narita chipped in.

"To meat!" Tanaka yelled, killing the vibe and earning a dozen stares. "What? Meat is good for the soul."

"…Right. Thank you for sharing that with us, Tanaka." Ukai tried to keep it together in the face of randomness.

"All of you must bow down to me! I'm the Meat Oracle!"

"The  _what_?" Yachi raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure that's not a thing."

Within a second, Tanaka's face was inches away from her face. "Are you saying I'm not real? Hm? Are you saying I don't exist?" Suddenly, he raised his head and stared off into the distance. "Maybe I'm not real, and I'm nothing more than a figment of your imagination…maybe even a figment of my own imagination! Which means that my imagination is a figment of my own imagination! Interesting…"

"Tanaka, I can see the smoke pouring out of your ears. Stop overthinking one little remark, for the sake of your sanity as well as ours." Ennoshita patted him on the shoulder with his good hand, before giving Daichi a thumbs-up with the same hand. "All good, Captain!"

With a little push off the wall, Ukai stood up straight, wincing slightly at the twinge in his foot. "Let's-"

"-stay here, please," Asahi finished, glancing at the others nervously, "and think about what we're doing. The three Ds apply here. Well, more like D, ID and PD. Hmm…DIDAPD. How would you pronounce that?" He shook his head. "Anyway, that's not the point. We're going out in a) the Dark, b) into Imminent Danger and c) Possible Death. Wouldn't it be safer to wait until morning? I mean, there will be still be danger and a risk of death, but at least it wouldn't be dark. Not to mention the fact that it's not dangerous here anymore, what with Kiken – or whatever his name was – being…well, being deceased. That other guy – Makoto, was it? – left, too; meaning we have shelter, provisions and safety, right here, right now. Why leave?"

"Because Makoto is waiting for us – the sooner we get there, the better. What if he thinks we're not coming, and leaves? This may be our only shot at survival, at freedom – why not take it?" Ukai reasoned.

"We should wait until morning, at least. Or, you know, maybe  _not_  trust a complete stranger who  _killed_ someone and wait for a reliable person - *cough cough* Takeda – to swoop in and save us." Asahi was getting worked up, Ukai knew.

"You almost sound as if you don't want to leave this island." Sugawara spoke up, and all eyes flicked from the vice-captain to Asahi, staring in expectation of the latter's answer.

"I…I just…of  _course_ I want to leave the island!" He exclaimed. "It's dangerous, though. I don't want anyone getting hurt out there. And they  _will_ , Suga, they  _will_. I understand that Makoto might leave if we don't go, but it's risky."

"Nothing is without risk. That's why we weigh the risks and make the best decision. Braving the jungle at night is safer than possibly being stuck on this Godforsaken island for the rest of our lives." Daichi pointed out, hoping to get through to the unusually stubborn third-year.

"It won't be for the rest of our lives, though; Takeda is coming, I'm sure he is-" Asahi tried to reason, but was interrupted.

"I, personally, want to get off this cursed island." Ennoshita said softly, so most had to strain their ears to hear him. "Remember, Asahi, one of my closest friends  _died_  here. I don't want to linger any longer than I have to. Please, tell me you understand that, at least."

For a long moment, Asahi was speechless. Ukai knew that he was faced with sticking by his paranoia and disrespecting Ennoshita's emotional state and needs, or forget his fear and brave the jungle.

"I…" he began, uncertainly, "I suppose…we  _might_ get through alright…it's very dangerous, but just  _maybe_ , we won't get hurt…alright. Fine. We can go tonight." Relieved and grateful smiles flashed around the room, and Ukai sighed with relief.  _Well, I'm certainly glad_ that's  _over,_ he thought, glancing at Asahi's nervous expression.

"Right, then. Let's head out!" Ukai declared, and was pleased to hear the loud chorus of cheers from the majority of the teenagers.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tsukishima was filled with dread once he'd stepped outside the room and realised that Yamaguchi wasn't there. Had he left the 'building'? Had he run away, unable to deal with the terrifying prospect of being half-blind for the rest of his life? Tsukishima shook his head.  _No, Tadashi wouldn't be able to just leave us all behind. He wouldn't be able to leave_ me  _behind. Right?_

Ignoring the sudden feeling of doubt, he pressed on, hoping that Yamaguchi would turn up soon. He was in no emotional state to be on his own right now, that was for sure.

"Tadashi?" He asked the empty corridor, praying that his friend would appear. He strained his hearing, trying to listen for any noises an upset teenager might make. He heard the crickets chirping outside, the leaves rustling in the wind, some sort of conversation taking place in the room where the rest of the team were (he swears he heard 'Meat Oracle' at one point), but no-

 _There_.

His head snapped to stare at the door which lead into  _that_ room. Surely not.  _Surely_  he wouldn't go in  _there_.

"Tadashi?" He asked again, quick-walking over to the door and gently opening it. "Are you in here?"

Indeed he was.

Yamaguchi was standing over the body of Kiken (or Mamoru, as his true name was), his body trembling with a multitude of emotions.  _Why is he in_ here _, of all places? That man was evil, pure evil; so why is he with him?_ Tsukishima asked himself, worried that his friend might have finally lost his marbles on this tragic boat trip.

"What are you doing in here?" He queried, stepping closer to the shorter teen, unsure of what to do in these situations. He'd never been particularly good with emotional people – but this was his best friend. He  _had_ to try.

When he was about to repeat the question, Yamaguchi finally replied, "Ironic, isn't it?"

"What is?" The middle blocker asked, confused by what his friend meant.

"'Kiken', we called him. 'Danger'. Yet he saved my life, and Nishinoya's, too. Sure, he tried to kill us after, but why go to the trouble of helping two of us, only to kill us later? It seems like a waste of time and supplies, really." He took a deep breath, as if steadying himself. "But that's not the ironic part. No, the irony lays in the fact that the yacht was what caused so much damage. The yacht was the real danger. We could have capsized in the middle of the sea during that storm, but instead we crash here. Kiken takes us in, when we feel completely lost, and gives us shelter. We should have called the yacht 'Kiken', but instead we label a stranger who initially helped us with that name. But now, everyone's eager to get  _back_ on a boat to escape this place! Have they forgotten what happened? Kinoshita  _died_ , Kei, he  _died_ on that damn boat. And if he hadn't saved Coach Ukai, then  _he_ would have died instead. The majorities of our injuries were caused by that stupid yacht, but everyone seems to have forgotten that! But I haven't. Every second, I remember. I see half a world, Kei. Every movement of my back is agony. I remember all the time. I can't go on Makoto's boat, I just  _can't_ , and call me-"

"I understand." Tsukishima interrupted, sensing Yamaguchi's mounting distress. My leg still aches from where it was dislocated. It's nothing compared to your pain, but it's still noticeable in every movement. I can cover my eye," he did so, and watched with his other eye as his friend's visible one widened, "and shut off half the world, but I know that I have the power to restore it." He removed his hand from his eye. "You feel powerless, as you feel that you can never see the full world again. I can't help you with it, though. I'm not an eye surgeon. I'm not a miracle worker. I'm not God.

"But neither are you. You are none of these things either. But my world needs support. Without my glasses, the world is blurry. I depend on my glasses to see the world at its fullest. I know what it is to struggle to see the world. But it may not be permanent. You may see the world complete again." He was about to continue his lecture when Yamaguchi spoke up, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

"I'll never see the world complete again. The glass, it went…" he swallowed, as if sickened to say it, "it went straight through my eye. The optic nerve, at the back – I think it severed that. People can have artificial legs, and walk again, but no-one can have an artificial eye and see fully again. I appreciate your little speech, but…I'm sorry. I'm permanently half-blind."

That felt like a hammer blow to Tsukishima. He, who had difficulties with his vision, was on a scale much lower than his friend. He could see blurrily out of both eyes. Yamaguchi could only see out of one. No glasses or laser eye surgeries could ever fix a severed optic nerve. Half his vision was gone, just like that, by one little piece of glass.  _That's why he hates the boat so much. It stole half of his eyesight,_ Tsukishima realised.

"I-I had no idea…Tadashi, I'm so sorry-"

"Why are you apologising? You didn't do this. But I trust you can understand my stance, now. I  _can't_ get on Makoto's boat; even if its little more than a rowing boat. I just  _can't_."

 _He's traumatised by the storm, and its catastrophic effects,_ Tsukishima drew a short intake of breath.  _And that's developed this phobia of boats. God, I didn't know he was_ this  _bad!_

"Tadashi, it's our only way off."

"What about Takeda? He'll be here soon, to rescue us."

"But he'll be arriving by boat."

Yamaguchi remained silent for a moment, before suggesting weakly, "What about a helicopter?"

Tsukishima shook his head. There's no place for it to land. Except the beach, but its rotors would send sand up everywhere. It's too risky. There might be one hovering overhead when Takeda comes, but the only way you could get into it is by a long ladder, and there's no way in Hell you can manage that in your condition."

The pinch server sighed and stared at the floor. "Even if it did land, Nishinoya is top priority, so he'd be flown to hospital. Kinoshita might go with him, too. The only way for me to get off this island is by boat, isn't it?" His gaze rose to meet Tsukishima's; the latter of whom was taken aback by the sheer amount of sadness in his eye.

"Yeah." He replied softly, not wanting to sound cold. His friend didn't need any tough love, any blunt facts said without emotion – he needed a true friend, and a true friend's comfort.

Stepping forward, he did something he'd rarely ever done to Yamaguchi – he embraced him, taking care not to apply pressure directly on the cuts on his back. "I'll be with you, Tadashi. I'll protect you, I swear it. Nothing else will ever hurt you again. You're safe, now. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

It seemed that his words finally broke the dam, and whatever fragile walls Yamaguchi had thrown around him. Burying his face into Tsukishima's chest, he wept. And, despite the middle blocker not being one for close contact like this, he found himself enjoying the warmth nestled into his front. From now on, he wouldn't be Yamaguchi's cold, distant friend.

He would be Yamaguchi's guardian, until death do them part.

* * *

Asahi got to his feet reluctantly, knowing that this was it. He had caved in and agreed to hurling himself and his friends (and his coach) into DIDAPD (he still had no idea how to pronounce that). They were all screwed, because he wasn't stubborn enough to protect them.

Cursing himself for his inability to stand firm against his teammates, he gently gathered Nishinoya into his arms, ignoring the angry twinge his chest wound gave him. He knew that the libero was in far more pain than him – even now, in unconsciousness, his eyebrows were knitted together and his body was tense. He wished he could take the second-year's pain away, but he wasn't a magician. Only Nishinoya himself could get through this. And a hospital. A hospital would be very helpful. Alas, all they had was the medicinal supplies that Tanaka and Ukai had found and collected from Kiken's room. They'd woken Nishinoya up briefly to give him a painkiller they'd found (there were only around ten, though, so they would have to ration them carefully), but it wasn't very effective, and not enough time had passed before he could take another.

"Wait, what about Yamaguchi and Tsukishima? Where did they go?" Hinata asked.

"Right here." Tsukishima announced, scaring Asahi so much he nearly dropped Nishinoya. Beside him stood Yamaguchi, who's face was red and eye was puffy. Asahi was pretty sure everyone realised the pinch server had been crying, even Hinata, who thankfully didn't say anything.

Ukai's expression melted into one of guilt as soon as he saw the first-year. "Yamaguchi, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." He interrupted, using the exact same words he'd said when Ukai first made the comment. His tone was clipped, which meant he didn't want to talk about it. Asahi was mildly disappointed. Maybe a heart-to-heart would've eaten up the rest of the night, enabling them to set out in the morning light, where Asahi's déjà vu couldn't get them.

Ukai hesitated for a moment, before he glanced at Tsukishima, who shook his head slightly. "Right. Okay. Are you two ready to go, then?" He asked them.

Asahi didn't miss the look of terror that passed over Yamaguchi's face, before a gentle squeeze on his arm – courtesy of Tsukishima – washed the expression away.  _Was Tsukishima just…_ comforting _? Was he just gentle and reassuring? Huh. Maybe he's not just a cold, distant guy after all._

"Yeah." The middle blocker replied, taking his time to remove his hand from his friend's arm.  _What_ happened  _out there? Did they get up to…_  A blush crossed over the third-year's face as he mentally shook his head vigorously.  _Geez, get your mind out of the gutter! They're your underclassmen, you shouldn't think like that!_

By the time he'd finished chastising himself, Ukai had already led the way, supporting Kiyoko, who's knee looked worryingly swollen.  _Hopefully she's alright_ , Asahi thought. Daichi and Suga went next, with Narita and Ennoshita close behind. Due to the latter's arm injury, Narita carried Kinoshita, although the strain on his ribs wasn't doing him any good. Next came Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, the latter of which leant against the other.  _Lord knows how he's going to get through the jungle in his condition. Hopefully, if the going gets tough, Tsukishima can carry him._ Hinata and Kageyama went after them (with a cheer and a sneeze, followed by bickering), leaving only Asahi, Nishinoya and Yachi.

"Asahi?" The first-year asked with a soft smile. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you ready to go into the dangerous unknown?"

Her smile faltered slightly. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. But I'll not be alone. The entire team's here, with us, right? We'll be alright so long as we stay together. So come on, before we get separated." With that, she turned to leave the room, beckoning him to follow.

Steadying himself with a deep breath, Asahi took the first step into the journey where déjà vu awaited them all.

* * *

Daichi knew that catching up wouldn't be an issue for Asahi and Yachi. Nishinoya was light, after all, so he wouldn't slow Asahi down, and Yachi could urge the third-year forward if he began to lag.

Glancing around (but having to squint to do so), he felt sure that the band of people would make it through the jungle alright, regardless of Asahi's intense paranoia. Besides, what could possibly be lurking in the jungle at night, that was so terrifying that Asahi was adamantly against travelling to freedom?

However, it was eerily quiet, save for the crickets around them and the wind above them.

That, and Hinata and Kageyama's bickering, too.

"I swear, if you sneeze on me, Bakageyama-"

"Don't call me that!"

"-then I'll sneeze  _right_ back on  _you_!"

"That's just gross."

"Right back at you with your sneezes."

"I don't  _force_ myself to sneeze dumbass. It just ha-" The word 'happens' turned into a mighty sneeze, which echoed through the trees and set Hinata off on a bout of laughter.

"Y-you can't even  _speak_ without sneezing!" He exclaimed between cackles. "'It just ha-ACHOO! Hilarious! You crack me u-" The word 'up' turned into a sudden high-pitched hiccup, which also echoed through the trees and now set  _Kageyama_ off on a bout of laughter.

"Karma! That is 100% karm-" The 'a' in 'karma' turned into another sneeze, although a more low-key one.

"Shut u-" Another hiccup, equally as loud, interrupted Hinata, and the two devolved into fits of laughter, sneezes and hiccups.

Chuckling, Daichi didn't have the heart to shut them up. A little comedy helped to lighten the mood, after all.  _And maybe,_ Daichi added in his head, glancing over his shoulder,  _it will cure Asahi of his paranoia._ The third-year had joined the group now, but was subjected to walking behind the two noisy first-years. Yachi walked beside him, smiling at Hinata and Kageyama's antics.

A sudden elbow nudged his ribs, and he glanced to the side to see Sugawara frowning and glancing around.

"Look at this. I don't like it." He murmured, just loud enough for the captain to hear, who took one look round and instantly agreed with the other.

They were now walking through a large clearing, where the moon lit up. But all around, in the thick trees, the darkness hung heavy. Daichi didn't particularly feel comfortable with re-entering the thick darkness. It put him on edge to look at the clearing – but what unnerved him the most was the fact that every so often, the shadows would move.  _It's just the leaves above,_ he told himself.  _The wind's shaking the trees, that's all._

By the time he'd half convinced himself of this, the group was halfway through the clearing.  _We're right in the middle,_ he thought, swallowing nervously,  _which is creepiest of all. Now we're surrounded by shadows on all sides._

Supressing a shiver, he glanced at Sugawara next to him, who looked awfully pale in the moonlight. He opened his mouth to speak words of comfort, but no sound came out. After all, how could one reassure another when he is in great distress himself?

Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoed across the clearing; a growl which sounded eerily like a-

"Oh God." Asahi breathed, and Daichi's blood turned to ice.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there is bad, good always follows.
> 
> When there is darkness, light always follows.
> 
> When there is a battle, salvation always follows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Out of the sea of shadows, a lean figure stalked forward. It growled again, a low rumbling in the back of its throat that made Tsukishima's hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He didn't like this at all. Using only the moonlight and memory, he knew instantly what type of animal this was. He also knew something else: the predator in front of them was hungry.

And they were its next meal.

Glancing to the side gave him a brief flicker of relief that Yamaguchi still stood next to him. Tsukishima would keep him safe. Just like he'd promised.

If this jaguar wanted to eat Yamaguchi, it'd have to go through him first.

The animal in question prowled forward, taking in the volleyball club.  _It wants to know how many its up against, and if we can fight back,_ Tsukishima realised with dread.  _It's basically sizing us up. Intelligent bugger…dammit._

The big cat's tail twitched, and its seemingly glowing eyes pierced the dim lighting as its gaze flickered over the humans. When it locked eyes with Tsukishima, he narrowed his challengingly.  _Try me, you oversized furball. I'll make you regret it soon enough._

Unexpectedly, the jaguar moved on to Hinata and Kageyama behind him, as if ignoring his challenge. He was almost certain that it would attack him, but instead it continued what it was doing before.  _It's mocking me,_ he realised with annoyance,  _it's trying to push me to do something reckless and fall right into its hands. Or paws. Why is a jaguar this clever?!_

Once the predator had finished scanning them, it took one more step forward, until it was mere inches away from Ukai, and crouched on its hind legs, tail swishing from side to side.

"Why is it laying down?" Hinata asked, his voice cutting through the near silence and tension and causing the jaguar's ears to prick up.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Kageyama hissed, eyes wide in alarm.

"It's going to pounce." Tsukishima murmured, loud enough for his voice to reach the whole group (although that wasn't hard, considering).

The jaguar's haunches wriggled slightly, and Ukai shouted up ahead, "Scatter!  _Now_!" and, still supporting Kiyoko, lunged to the side and helped her to the edge of the clearing.

Roaring slightly in irritation as its prey ran in all directions, the big cat turned, back on its toes in a heartbeat, and ran after Kiyoko and Ukai, who seemed to be its first target. Ukai glanced back and cursed a long string of profanities, before they were swallowed up by the darkness of the jungle.

Tsukishima watched the jaguar leap between two trees, and prayed it hadn't knocked the coach or the manager down. Being eaten this close to freedom was unthinkable. It would be one of the cruellest outcomes of a tragic adventure like this one.

Glancing around him, he had a fleeting moment of panic when he couldn't see Yamaguchi, before he saw him hiding under a tree, his visible eye shining with fear.

"Kei! Behind you!" The pinch server yelled, moonlight reflecting off the white of his eye, and he moved so quickly he feared he might get whiplash to see the jaguar running towards him. Cursing loudly, he leapt to the side, thinking that the jaguar might lose speed on its abrupt turn to chase him.

A terrified scream behind him made him realise that his assumption was wrong, and he'd left Yamaguchi, who could only half-see and was in no condition to run, wide open for the charging, hungry jaguar.

Ignoring the twinge in his leg as he scrabbled to his feet, racing into the thick jungle where Yamaguchi and the jaguar had disappeared. Tsukishima could hear the fading footfalls as cat chased boy, but he couldn't see them.

"Tadashi! Where are you?!" He yelled, praying that his friend could outrun the predator.  _Doubtful in his current state,_ an annoying voice whispered in his head, but he pushed it down.

He yelled his friend's name again, hoping for a response, but Yamaguchi said nothing.  _Wait, where's Ukai and Kiyoko? Did the jaguar kill them?_ He shook his head. _No, I doubt it. It probably would have eaten them, and left us alone. Which means it couldn't find them, and it returned to the clearing where it last saw the rest of us._

His attention was drawn to the footfalls, which were no longer receding. Instead, they were getting louder, which meant one thing.

His friend, and the man-eating beast, were coming back.

"Tadashi! Hang on, I'm coming!" Despite every natural instinct telling him to run from the imminent danger, Tsukishima broke into a run through the jungle, desperately trying to get to his injured friend.

With his heart hammering in his chest, the blonde shoved his fear into the deepest, darkest pit of Hell he could reach – and was so focused on that he nearly crashed into a tree. Eyes blazing with determination, he continued onward, towards the noises of prey and predator.

 _Wait a minute,_ he frowned,  _this noise sounds…weird._ It was only when he saw two blurs a few metres away, heading in the opposite direction from him, did he realise that he'd been following an echo the entire time.

Cursing again, he skidded round – nearly falling over in the process – and charged after the jaguar. From the second (if that) that he'd seen of his friend and his pursuer, he could tell that the latter was hot on Yamaguchi's heels.  _In fact,_ he thought,  _Tadashi can probably feel its hot breath on his legs._ He immediately chided himself after about thinking like that. Such a close proximity as that meant that all the jaguar had to do was stretch its forepaw and hook Yamaguchi's leg with its claws, effectively bringing him down.

 _Dammit, stop thinking like that, idiot!_ He inwardly yelled at himself.  _He'll be fine – he's heading back to the clearing; the others will be there, they can distract it. And then I can get there and kick its furry ass for messing with my friend._

Before he knew it, he was bursting out of the clearing, where he nearly choked on his own breath when he took in the scene. Yamaguchi had obviously tripped on something – there was no blood on his leg to indicate the jaguar catching his leg. Nevertheless, he was on the floor, and the hungry big cat was standing over him.

Tsukishima was about to pour more energy into his legs and barrel into the large animal (because  _that_ was clearly a good idea) when Narita suddenly shot across the clearing and, with a loud shout of no word in particular (more a war cry, actually), he slammed his body into the jaguar, knocking it to the side with a surprised yowl.

 _That had to have hurt his ribs,_ Tsukishima remarked to himself as he reached Yamaguchi.

"Are you okay?" He asked hurriedly, checking his friend over for any more injuries.

"I-I'm fine, I think." The pinch server panted, clearly out of breath from his half marathon with the jaguar. He managed a weak smile and added, "Thank you, Kei."

The blonde's eyebrows shot up. "For what?"

"For going a-after me." He forced out while struggling for breath. "I-I didn't know where I was going, and it was dark, and I was alone, and- oh God, it was so  _close_ to me, I could feel its  _breath_ , it was h-horrible…" He trailed off, shaking.

 _So I was right on its proximity, at least,_ Tsukishima thought. "Stay here," he told Yamaguchi, "or get to cover. Just be with someone, yeah? If you're alone, the jaguar's more likely to go for you."

Too tired to formulate any more words, the shorter first-year merely nodded, eye closing as he fought to get his breath back.

Nodding to himself, Tsukishima rose to his feet, glancing over at where Narita had knocked the jaguar to the side. It had fully recovered, and was snarling and swiping at the second-year, trying to either gut him or decapitate him. Narita was desperately dodging, backing away from the angry big cat and clutching his ribs, an expression of pain etched onto his face.  _Right on another thing, I suppose,_ he commented inwardly, before adding,  _sometimes, I hate being right all the time._

Ignoring his oxygen-deprived lungs, he followed Narita's example and broke into a run, before charging straight into the predator. The latter released another cry of surprise, as the force behind Tsukishima's attack knocked it to the jungle floor.

"Narita! Get out of here!" He yelled at the second-year, who was staring at the scene before him in astonishment. When he opened his mouth to protest, Tsukishima cut him off with a simple, "Now!"

Luckily, Narita chose to obey him, and ran to the cover of the trees, leaving the middle blocker to face the man-eating monster alone. A quick glance behind him told him that, thankfully, Yamaguchi had gone to the cover of the darkness too.

"Come on, you oversized furball!" He decided he liked that insult; shame he could only use it in these situations, though.

Drawing its lips back into a furious, throaty hiss, the jaguar leapt into the air in his direction, claws unsheathed and jaws wide, with moonlight glinting off every one of those sharp, yellow fangs.

Angling his body to the side and to the left half a metre, Tsukishima waited until the timing was perfect to bring his good leg up and kick the big cat into its exposed underbelly. With a yowl of pain, it crashed to the ground, and Tsukishima swore under his breath as his bad leg threatened to buckle under him.

The animal was quickly back on its feet, and it roared in pure fury at him, before bounding towards him. Turning to the side again, out of the way, he prepared to kick the predator again, bringing his bad leg up this time, as he didn't trust it enough to put his full weight on it.

However, his prediction proved incorrect as the big cat didn't jump, instead bringing its left forepaw out to the side slightly, and catching his outstretched leg with its claws. Tsukishima didn't have time to scream as the momentum from the jaguar's run was poured into swinging him round by the leg and sending him flying towards a tree, where his head thudded painfully against it.

In that moment, all his senses went to pot.

His hearing switched to Underwater Mode, where distant yells of "Tsukishima!" and one of "Kei!" sounded like he was a goldfish in a bowl full of water. His vision went blurry – much blurrier than his normal vision without his glasses – and all he could register were strange shapes which liked to melt into one another. He could taste something coppery in his mouth, but last time he checked, he didn't have a habit of eating English pennies, so he didn't know how  _that_ got there.  _Blood,_ a weak voice murmured in his bruised brain. He couldn't feel the ground below him, nor the tree behind him – it was as if he were floating.  _Maybe I am secretly underwater. But I can breathe, so…ah, I don't know, I'm too tired for this._ He couldn't smell anything – not the weird copper ( _Blood_ , the voice repeated faintly) or the aroma of nature that he had been surrounded by before.

"Tsukishima? Are you- need to stay with us- hear me?" His hearing was failing him even more, he noted, as nothing he'd just heard made sense. It was as if someone had slammed three sentences together. He saw a blurry mess of ash-grey and dark green, and the occasional flash of white as one of the heavily distorted shapes spoke.

"-bad, he's bleeding- doctor, but we don't have- bloody cat." That was the ash-grey shape, he thought. It was hard to tell, as they kept melding together before separating, only to repeat the process.

"I can staunch- on his leg, but his head's bad- it might be a- same as Tanaka." The dark green shape spoke almost too fast to keep up – well, it  _did_ speak too fast to keep up, as Tsukishima only caught bits and pieces. For some unknown reason, he could understand what this one was saying better than the ash-grey one. Strange.

The brightness dimmed suddenly, and he wouldn't if there were any underwater lights nearby. There was one up above, near the surface, but he wanted one closer to him- a sudden wave of nausea made him grind his teeth together, screwing his eyes shut and making his throat ache. He could see the faint glow of light on his eyelids, which only made his nausea worse.  _Now I don't want an underwater light. Could someone dim the big light a little more, please?_

As soon as it came, the nausea disappeared, but was quickly replaced by a sudden exhaustion that seeped into his bones and made Tsukishima feel as weak as a kitten.

Kitten.

Cat.

Big Cat.

_Jaguar._

Gasping as he was struck with the memory of the jaguar's attack, he struggled to focus his senses, fuelled by a need to know if Yamaguchi was okay. As the shapes around him became clearer, he realised that Sugawara (the ash-grey shape) and Yamaguchi (the dark green shape) had been the ones talking. He tried to push his exhaustion away as he stared into the pinch server's eye, looking for any trace of pain that would indicate an injury. Instead, all he found was fear and concern. A hell of a lot of concern.

"Kei? Are you okay?" He asked gently, and Tsukishima was glad that his ears weren't  _completely_ useless. Not until this sudden adrenaline wore off, anyway. "Well, obviously not, considering the circumstances, but…" Yamaguchi trailed off, uncertain of what to say next.

The middle blocker didn't fully trust himself to speak, but he tried to convey his thoughts into words.  _I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about. Where's the jaguar? How's everyone else?_ Instead of full sentences, the words came out as, "Fine. You worried. Where jaguar? Everyone?" He cursed his inability to speak normally, but through some miracle that can only be described as Yamaguchi being a miracle himself, the other understood what he was trying to say.

"I wouldn't say you're 'fine', but I don't want to argue with you when you're like this. Don't be worried about me;  _I'm_ fine, but  _you_ are  _not_. Everyone's fine; they're mostly all hiding, but Narita seriously busted his ribs this time, and…well…the jaguar's locked in a battle with Ukai. He's seriously annoyed." Yamaguchi explained in a slow voice which, under normal circumstances, would have infuriated Tsukishima; however, this was  _not_ a normal circumstance, and he was sincerely grateful, as he could process every word, although the adrenaline was wearing off and his senses were beginning to fail him again.

"Tired…" He forced out, eyes slowly beginning to close.

"No, don't sleep, Tsukishima." Sugawara spoke, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to shake you, as it could make your head injury worse, but I'm going to squeeze your shoulder to keep you awake, okay?" The blonde couldn't understand why the vice-captain was telling him this, but two words stuck out that confused him.

"Head…injury…?" He mumbled questioningly, and frowned as the two teenagers in front of him exchanged worried glances.

"The jaguar threw you into a tree. You hit your head, and we believe you have a concussion." Sugawara explained slowly, to ensure that the first-year absorbed every detail.

"Hm…" He hummed, before his eyes closed and his hearing switched to Underwater Mode again.

"Don't fall asleep- stay with us- know you're tired, but- come on, Tsukishima- dammit!" Vaguely, he registered his shoulder being squeezed, but that hand belonged to Sugawara, who, thanks to his hearing, was making no sense again.

Heeding the sweet call of sleep, he left his weak body and fell unconscious.

* * *

Ukai had never hated anything more than this Godforsaken jaguar before him. He didn't like hurting animals, but this one had hurt two of his crows, and chased another into the jungle.  _Well,_ he supposed,  _Narita technically hurt_ himself _, but since he did it on the jaguar, I'm blaming_ it  _for his worsened ribs._

The predator in question was pacing back and forth, waiting for him to make a move. And make a move, he shall.

Taking a few steps closer, the jaguar hissed and reached forward with its right paw to swipe and steal his kidney, and perhaps a couple of other organs while it was at it. At the last second, he sidestepped, the claws cutting through the air harmlessly, while he brought his knee up to break the big cat's radius and ulna in the outstretched arm.

With an ungodly shriek of agony, the animal staggered back, its broken forearm withdrawn to its chest, and it stared at him in fear and pain.  _You better be scared, furball,_ he thought,  _you're lucky I don't kill you, here and now. Run, little cat, run far away, and don't bother us again._

Instead of running away, though, anger flashed in the big cat's eyes, and it leapt at him, teeth bared. Unable to react in time due to the shock of not having his opponent flee before him, Ukai could only take a quick breath before the predator knocked him over, its teeth in his left shoulder and lower neck. However, in an instance of karma, its broken right arm collided with his chest, and it released its grip on his shoulder, yowling in pain and wheeling around, before hobbling towards the trees, tail dragging on the ground in defeat.

 _I should probably check on everyone…but I don't have the energy,_ he mused to himself, as a burning agony spread all the way down his left arm and up his neck. It gave him a pounding headache – one much stronger than ones he would get from Hinata and Kageyama bickering.

"Coach!" The deep voice of Daichi rang out across the clearing, before the captain was kneeling beside him. The adult's eyes flickered to the third-year's broken arm, and was concerned to see it purple, swollen and misshapen.

"That bone of yours has tried to heal itself, and it's messed up. That's pretty serious." He pointed out, although talking hurt his neck and shoulder more.

Daichi shook his head stubbornly, attempting to deter concern away from him. "I'm fine. You should be worried about yourself. That jaguar had yellow teeth, which means you could easily get an infection from it. We need to get to Makoto and that boat of his pronto."

Too tired from the ordeal to argue, Ukai meekly hummed in agreement, before remembering something. "Narita…Tsukishima…how are they?" Daichi hesitated for just a moment, but Ukai noticed it. "Bad, then."

The captain's eyes widened slightly, before he chuckled. "Nothing escapes you, does it, coach?" He sighed, amusement fading to worry. "Narita's ribs are giving him respiratory difficulty – I'm just hoping he's not heading for a punctured lung. We haven't seen any blood yet, but that doesn't mean he's out of the woods. Tsukishima…" he trailed off, before continuing, "his leg is bleeding heavily, as is his head, but that's not so bad. Sugawara and Yamaguchi are with him now. He's definitely concussed; I just hope it's nothing worse."

"We need to move out, now."

"I agree." Turning, Daichi called, "Everyone! Come out, the danger's gone! We're going to move out soon!" One by one, Karasuno Volleyball Club filtered out of the trees, Asahi with Nishinoya still in his arms, Yachi supporting Kiyoko (he'd spotted the first-year after they'd escaped the jaguar, and had entrusted her with the older manager), Ennoshita struggling with Kinoshita while trying to support Narita, and Hinata and Kageyama running over to help him. Tsukishima was lying against a tree, Yamaguchi and Sugawara in front of him.

Ukai watched as Daichi jogged over to the latter three, before returning with his vice-captain.

"Tsukishima just passed out. We'll need someone to carry him on their back. Asahi would be the best choice, but he has Nishinoya." Sugawara announced to the group.

"I can carry Tsukishima and entrust Nishinoya with someone else." Asahi spoke up timidly, looking visibly shaken.

 _Of course,_ Ukai remembered,  _Asahi thought something bad was going to happen. And something bad_ did  _happen._

Sugawara nodded, oblivious to the coach's musings. "Okay. Tanaka, would you be able to do it?"

"'Course I can!" The wing spiker replied energetically.  _Well, I'm glad_ he  _has energy, at least._

"I'll carry Kinoshita, if that's okay with you two." The ashen-haired setter addressed Narita and Ennoshita, who defeatedly accepted. "You two can support each other."

"Suga, you are  _not_ carrying  _anyone_ with that wrist of yours." Daichi declared in a dangerous tone.

"Nor are you with that arm of yours." Sugawara fired back. "Then we'll have two useless third-years, not pulling their weight for the good of the group."

For a while, the captain was speechless, before he resigned to the inevitable. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when your wrist hurts a lot worse."

The vice-captain grinned. "Got it." Then he grew serious, and turned to Yachi. "Are you okay to carry on helping Kiyoko?"

She nodded. "Yes, if that's alright with you." She was addressing both Sugawara and Kiyoko at the same time – who both smiled their agreement.

"Ukai will need support, so…Kageyama, do you think you're able to help him?" The third-year asked.

"Yeah, I don't feel as bad all of a sudden. Might be adrenaline, but I'll be able to do it regardless." The raven-haired setter agreed.

"Don't sneeze on him." Hinata advised.

"I wasn't going to!" Kageyama snapped.

"You said it yourself, though; you don't control your sneezing."

"I won't  _aim_ for him – I'll aim for  _you_!"

"Ew, gross, no."

"Have you two finished?" Daichi asked with a stern voice and a raised eyebrow, although amusement twinkled in his eyes.

"S-sorry Daichi." The pair muttered in unison.

Laughing quietly, Sugawara said, "To keep you two away from each other, I was thinking that Hinata could help Yamaguchi. He's lost a lot of blood, but his concern is only for Tsukishima, so he'll ignore that fact until he passes out. Is that alright with you, Hinata?"

"Yeah." He nodded, his voice strangely sombre. Ukai figured that, although he would never admit it, Hinata was deeply worried about Tsukishima.

"What about me? Am I to be a 'useless third-year' after all?" Daichi asked, stepping closer.

Sugawara smiled slightly. "You can walk with me, to monitor me like I know you would do anyway."

Ukai decided he wanted to close the conversation. "Right then, guys! Let's get going!"

Kageyama helped him to his feet, where he was instantly met with a wave of dizziness. The first-year hooked Ukai's right arm around his shoulders and hoisted him to a more comfortable position for the both of them. Asahi and Hinata walked over to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, but by that point, Ukai and Kageyama had begun to head towards the treeline where they were originally headed before the jaguar attacked. The moon was falling out of the sky, and the first weak rays of sunlight were beginning to reach across the clearing.  _Well, we spent more time than expected trekking through this Godforsaken jungle. And arguing, and preparing. Around this time of year…I'd wager it's around six or seven in the morning._

Soon enough, the rest of the teenagers fell into step behind their coach, and they continued their journey to freedom.

* * *

Tsukishima's weight on his back was both a vice and a virtue to Asahi. It brought comfort, knowing that there was someone so close – even if they were unconscious and seriously injured; on the other hand, if the jaguar came back – or another one with all legs functioning and unbroken – he would be vulnerable as he had no arms to defend himself (they were supporting Tsukishima and keeping him in position) and he could not outrun a big cat whilst carrying someone on his back. Especially when he couldn't jostle the first-year due to his head injury.

He chose not to voice his musings aloud to anyone – after all, they had heard enough of his warnings and fears. His déjà vu had come true – the Tragedy had occurred. The jaguar had attacked them in the open clearing while they were exposed and vulnerable, and had severely injured two (three, if he included Narita) of them. Tragedies usually involve a death, but Asahi thought it could relate to anything where someone is seriously injured – or, even simpler, where something very bad occurs that has devastating effects for the party involved.  _Then that means this entire trip is a tragedy,_ he thought,  _as everyone is hurt, one of us is dead, and many will bear scars._ He glanced over his shoulder (with difficulty) at Yamaguchi, who mostly leaned on Hinata. Even in the darkness of the jungle, the third-year could see the bandage covering his right eye. Asahi was the only person who had seen what was left of Yamaguchi's eye.  _I don't think I could ever forget,_ he shuddered inwardly as the image appeared in his mind eye.  _It's a tragedy for another reason: one of us is permanently affected by the event of the boat crashing. And not just as a scar – his world will never be the same again._

Asahi turned to the front again.  _I suppose, on a lesser scale,_ none  _of our worlds will ever be the same again._

"Hey, Asahi." Tanaka's voice next to him startled him, and he stared at the second-year, who was delicately – and effortlessly, it seemed – carrying Nishinoya.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you get here. You scared me! Please don't do that. Not here, not now."

"Ah, sorry. I was just wondering…why didn't you mention anything of a jaguar attack?"

"What?"  _I didn't? I swear I did; after all, I gave them plenty of warnings, and they chose to heed none of them._

"You kept going on about how dangerous it was, and how something bad was going to happen, but you never specified  _what_ exactly. Every time you were about to elaborate, someone interrupted you and we never got back to it." Tanaka explained.

"Oh yeah, I remember."

"So?"

"So what?" Asahi was confused now. What did Tanaka want him to say? The second-year had answered his own question, after all.

Tanaka raised an eyebrow, eyes flashing in anger. "Why didn't you press the matter? Your lack of stubbornness put us all in danger!"

Now, this just wasn't fair. He had been the only one  _against_ going! He wasn't urging them to go – that was Tanaka, and everyone else! "I didn't want to go! You all put us in danger by insisting on leaving at night! How hard was it to wait a few more hours, until first light? There was no threat in Kiken's jungle house."

"Do you not want to go home?"

Tanaka's question took him aback. "Wh-what?" Asahi bristled after overcoming his shock. "Of  _course_ I want to go home!"

"Then if you'd never had this dream of yours that ended up coming true, would you have agreed with us to go as soon as possible, without an argument?"

The third-year pondered the question for a moment.  _I'd still be afraid to go, but not fully against it. I'd be easy to coax into going. But even_ with  _my dream, I'd caved in and agreed to go along with their plan._ He sighed.  _I suppose Tanaka was right, then. My lack of stubbornness put us all in danger. If I had the strength to fully put my foot down – like I'd tried to but ultimately failed – then Tsukishima, Narita and Ukai wouldn't be hurt. It_ is  _my fault._

Asahi told Tanaka his thoughts, and his conclusion of self-blame, and didn't miss the wince that went through Tanaka, as well as the guilt which suddenly swam in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to pin the entire blame on you, Asahi, I was just angry – I shouldn't be angry at  _you_ , you were the only one with sense, I should be angry with myself instead…aw man, I'm sorry, Asahi."

"It's fine." He instantly forgave the wing spiker; he understood those heat-of-the-moment incidents all too well. He shook his head to clear the memory of the argument with Nishinoya before he'd left the team.

They walked in silence until Asahi had lost track of time. There was a sort of tension between the two, and Asahi was sick of it. He turned his head and was about to say something to break the awkward silence between them when Kiyoko called out, "Waves!"

Frowning and trying not to get too excited, the ace strained his hearing. Faintly, he could hear the gentle rushing of waves. They were close. They were  _so_ close.

"Head towards the noise! The sooner we get out of this dense jungle, the better." Daichi instructed, turning slightly to head directly towards the sound of the waves.

Asahi followed the change in direction and knew that it wouldn't be long before there was sand beneath his feet, and he would be out in the open. The thought of being exposed scared him at first, but jaguars wouldn't go so close to the sea – he hoped, at least. He didn't want any more run-ins with big cats anymore. He would avoid them at zoos, that was for sure.

"Hey, Tanaka-" Glancing to the side, he realised that Tanaka had left during the navigational alteration.  _I didn't even notice,_ he realised.  _He moves so quietly he could be a cat._ His eyes widened and he scanned the trees around him, shaking.  _No, not cat. Mouse. As quiet as a mouse, that's what he is. Not cat. Mouse._

Swallowing nervously, Asahi fixed his vision on the back of Ennoshita, who was in front of him. Tanaka, he noticed, was in front of the second-year, and then Daichi and Sugawara, with Ukai and Kageyama spearheading the group. Behind him, he remembered, walked Yamaguchi and Hinata.  _Thank God I'm not right at the back,_ he thought, relieved.  _Although I am pretty close…no, I'm fine here. Stop worrying, you coward! Oh, I_ do  _hate the dark now…_

Sighing, he let his mind wander as the group traipsed through the jungle, with the waves steadily growing louder in front of them. He noticed that everyone had, despite their exhaustion and injuries (and Kageyama's cold), picked up the pace, using whatever energy they had left to reach the beach and finally be free.

"I see it!" Kageyama suddenly exclaimed from the front, excitement evident in his voice. "The sea, I see it!"

"Hmm…? What time is…it?" A groggy voice murmured in Asahi's ear, startling him.

"Tsukishima!" The third-year exclaimed.

"Kei?" The wary voice of Yamaguchi travelled to the right side of him – as did the body of the said first-year. Hinata was right next to him and, although the pinch server had to turn his entire head to see his friend due to the bandage obscuring his right eye, he didn't walk into any trees as they had begun to thin.  _We_ are  _close to the sea after all,_ Asahi thought, as his stomach fluttered with hope.  _Kiyoko and Kageyama were right._

"T-Tadashi?" Tsukishima asked, frowning lethargically. Asahi could tell, just by the sound of his voice, that he was still tired and definitely concussed. "What's that…bedsheet on your face…?"

Yamaguchi's left eye widened, breath catching in his throat, and Asahi noticed how Hinata gently took his left hand and gave it a small squeeze of reassurance. "It's just the concussion, Yamaguchi." Hinata comforted in little more than a whisper. "He's just a bit out-of-it from the concussion. He'll remember when he's better."

The taller first-year nodded shakily, before talking to Tsukishima again. "Kei, you have a concussion. What's the last thing you remember?"

Tsukishima closed his eyes, deep in thought, and Asahi thought he'd passed out again, when he opened them and said in a stronger voice, "Underwater lights. Talking shapes. Copper. And…" he trailed off, before his eyes widened, "jaguar. Where is it? Where am I? What's going on?"

"Ukai kicked its furry ass." Yamaguchi smiled lightly, but it faltered as the middle blocker gave him a blank look. "We're um…we're going to the beach. We're nearly there. Then we can go home."

"…Okay." He said as his energy left him.

"But don't go to sleep, yeah? We're nearly there." He repeated the last phrase as a reassurance to both Tsukishima and himself. Yamaguchi took a step closer, lowered his voice, and added, "Thank you for being my guardian, Kei."

Tsukishima registered this, and smiled – a rare, genuine smile, with no traces of sarcasm or mockery in it. "I promised you I would, Tadashi."

As the blonde first-year was on Asahi's back, he heard the private little conversation, but Hinata was just out of earshot. Despite this, he smiled knowingly, and didn't ask what was said.

"We're here!" Ukai called up, his voice betraying him as it wavered slightly due to blood loss, pain and exhaustion.

Asahi's eyes lit up as the trees thinned even more around him, until he felt sand beneath his feet. The sun, which was much higher in the sky than it was when they last saw it in the clearing, warmed his back and face.  _It'll probably nearly be noon, soon,_ he thought with hope. It was then that he realised that they'd made it. They'd made it through the whole Kiken ordeal, through the dark jungle, through the jaguar attack, and now they were on the beach. They could get on Makoto's boat and go home. At last. They'd made it.

However, as Asahi glanced around the beach, he realised that there was one problem.

Makoto and his boat weren't there. The tracks were there, but those who had made the tracks were not, which meant one thing.

Makoto had left them. Their last hope, gone.

 _No._ Asahi thought defiantly.  _Not our_ last  _hope._

And, with a perfect example of splendid timing, the wind picked up as a helicopter descended towards them at a slow, steady pace. He had been so focused on the sound of the waves that he hadn't heard the whirring of the rotor blades.

"Takeda, wherever you are, thank you so much." Ukai murmured, and Asahi swore he saw the coach's eyes shimmer with unshed tears, but he couldn't be sure.

"Karasuno Volleyball Club!" A voice on a megaphone called. Asahi realised it was coming from the helicopter.

"That's us!" Daichi yelled up, voice laced with relief.

"We can't land due to the unsuitable terrain, but we're a scouting helicopter and aren't really for taking passengers. The Search & Rescue boat will be arriving shortly." The voice explained.

"I-is Takeda there?" Hinata asked hopefully.

There was a short pause, before the voice replied, "Yes, he's there."

The helicopter turned and headed out to sea again, presumably to check on the boat. Asahi shrugged lightly.  _Maybe it's setting up a perimeter or something. I don't know._

"We owe our lives to Takeda now. He's our saviour." Sugawara breathed.

"Not all of us can owe our life to him, though." Ennoshita pointed out quietly, and all eyes turned solemnly to Kinoshita, who looked peaceful.

"He's in a better place, now." Asahi was surprised when he heard his voice. He hadn't expected himself to speak, yet here he was. "There is no dying in the afterlife, after all. He is eternally free from the constraints of this life. He can live forever in peace, doing the things he loves, and nothing can ever hurt him again. He'll be waiting for us all."

"But we will age. He will not." Narita mumbled, voice tight with emotion and pain due to his injured ribs.

"You don't know what happens in the afterlife. When our time is up in this world, we could go there at this age, and play volleyball forever. When we're old, we may not be able to. But this is the prime of our life. What if the afterlife is only a permanent, infinite life in our primes?" Asahi responded.  _Seriously, why am I still speaking? Someone's going to hit me for saying stuff like this._

To his surprise, no one hit him, or had a go at him. Instead, Karasuno Volleyball Club began weeping, Asahi included. Ennoshita and Narita cried the hardest, as Kinoshita was their best friend, but the pain was shared among the team and their coach. He would leave a hole behind, that no one could fill.

As the tears began to dry up among the group, a boat appeared on the horizon. Asahi presumed that they had been crying for the better part of half an hour, as the sun was a fraction higher in the sky.

He watched in silence as two small, bright orange lifeboats landed in the water around the Search & Rescue boat and paddled towards the beach.  _The main boat can't get too near, as it would run aground, and we'd be stuck here all over again,_ he figured as the lifeboats drew closer.  _But they're here, and that's all that matters. We're saved._

Asahi's eyes stung again, but he blinked his tears away. There would be a time for a long crying session. This was not it. But he found it hard not to cry as Hinata broke down next to him. Glancing to the short first-year, he opened his mouth to comfort him, but Yamaguchi was already on it, gently squeezing the middle blocker's hand and talking to him in a soft tone.

Smiling at the sight, the third-year turned his gaze back to the sea, where the first lifeboat reached the shore. One of the two people jumped out of it and announced, "We're here to rescue you, but we need you to remain calm. The high priorities need to board first. We can have four on at a time, at maximum. You all look rough, but please, try to understand." She looked at each of them in turn, and, although her words were blunt, her eyes were kind and sympathetic.

"Okay. Nishinoya, you're first. Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, you're going with him." Ukai instructed, and Asahi headed towards the lifeboat with Tsukishima on his back and Yamaguchi in tow. Tanaka similarly stepped forward with Nishinoya, who, Asahi was relieved beyond measure to see, was conscious and was watching the scene unfold around him in dazed interest.

Once those three were on board, Daichi put his good hand on Ukai's right shoulder. "You too, coach."

"What? Don't be absurd. I'm not leaving in the first damn boat!" Ukai objected.

"Please, coach. Just go."

Sighing in irritation, the adult stepped forward and, after the woman who had spoken had winced at his bloody injury and let him on board, the lifeboat pushed off and headed back to the boat.

By this point, the second lifeboat had already reached shore, and was loading Kinoshita, Ennoshita and Narita on board. At Sugawara's insistence, Hinata went with them, as the vice-captain was concerned about Hinata's neck wound from Kiken's drill getting infected, possibly with Tetanus.

As the second lifeboat pushed off, heading back to the Search & Rescue boat, Asahi found himself rubbing his chest wound. Sometime in the journey where he carried Tsukishima, it had opened up and had been bleeding freely down his chest. He'd been so distracted by everything that he didn't even notice it until Tsukishima was gone and his back was straightened enough to notice how his shirt clung to his chest in a warm, sticky way.

Glancing round, Asahi counted who was left. Kiyoko, Yachi, Kageyama, Tanaka, Sugawara, Daichi and himself. When the two lifeboats came back (of which the first one was returning already), they would pick the last of them up, and they would head back to the Search & Rescue boat and go home.

_Home._

That one word had so much meaning. Home could refer to houses, to families or to friends. Whatever it referred to, it was an important part of a person, and it was personal to every individual.

And now, Asahi could return to it. To his town, to his school, to his family, to volleyball – and, when they'd all physically recovered from this taxing ordeal, he could return to his friends, and they could return to him.

The first lifeboat reached them again, and he found himself being herded towards it, along with Kageyama, Yachi and Tanaka. They set off, and he found himself numb to his surroundings, the bobbing motion of the lifeboat as they paddled towards the Search & Rescue boat being the only thing he registered. He glanced behind him, at the beach, where the second lifeboat was loading Daichi, Sugawara and Kiyoko onto it.

Asahi found that he couldn't take his eyes off the island as they drifted away from it. That island had been the cause of so much damage, so much pain, so much emotion – and yet, it hadn't. Kiken had caused that, and the storm which caused the yacht to crash, and the jaguar which attacked them in the darkness, but not the island itself.

Suddenly, there was a clamour of voices, and the boat was no longer in motion, and he was being helped up onto the Search & Rescue boat, where the rest of his team (bar those on the second lifeboat) awaited. Where  _Takeda_ , their saviour, awaited.

Within a few minutes, the second lifeboat was loaded on board, along with those in it, and Asahi saw Takeda for the first time since defeating Shiratorizawa. He hadn't changed a bit, but they had. They had changed so much on the inside, and a little on the outside.

The moment Takeda saw everyone, and the states they were in, he burst into tears. Whether they were tears of sadness or happiness, Asahi couldn't tell. He guessed they were both.

"I'm sorry this happened. I'm so, so sorry." He apologised between sobs.

"Why are  _you_ sorry? It was my idea." Ukai murmured, placing a hand on Takeda's shoulder. "I'm just eternally grateful that you saved us. I can't begin to thank you."

Asahi turned away from the conversation, instead gazing at the island as they left it behind. They were leaving the body of Kiken, the wreck of the yacht, the jaguar with the broken leg, the jungle house, and all the mystery of the explorers' organisation behind. But Asahi didn't care about finding out about the secret organisation. There were only two facts that stood out to him, two facts he cared about.

One, they were finally, after all that they had been through, going home.

And second, that they were finally, after all they had been through, leaving the island.

They were leaving Calamity Isle, and never going back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Geez, long chapter, huh? Well, I had to get everything in. Organisation of chapters is important (or is that just me?).
> 
> Now, you may be annoyed or glad at what I'm about to tell you, but I just want to say: there's one chapter left! And then, that's it! The end is in sight, my much-loved readers! Thank you for staying with me all this time, even through the mini-hiatuses I kept having.
> 
> So bear with me one last time, and the conclusion will end this story for good.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Calamity Isle, with everyone's individual point of view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: After an unacceptable time, the final chapter is here. Apologies for my tardiness, it's been exam season and I just never had time.
> 
> Also, I'm considering writing a few one-shots branching off from this story, but I'm not entirely sure. What do you guys think?
> 
> Alas, the moment you've all been waiting for: the end of this story of tragedy, pain, secrets and drama. So, without further ado, I present to you the finale of this shipwreck AU.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu

Hinata woke up in a hospital bed, the overhead lighting assaulting his eyes. When Tsukishima 'fixed' his nose, it was slightly crooked and the doctors had to re-break it to properly correct it. He'd been put under anaesthetic, but he doubted he needed it – his eyes were drooping before they injected him with the drug.

He didn't remember much of the journey to hospital – it was all a blur as he struggled to accept the fact that they were  _free_. They were away from Calamity Isle, Kiken/Mamoru was dead, and they'd survived the terrifying ordeal.

Well,  _almost_ all of them. Hinata's heart panged painfully in his chest at the reminder that one of his teammates selflessly sacrificed himself to save their coach, at the cost of his own life. The short first-year still found everything surreal – what they went through is something usually reserved for a movie or a fiction book. The fact that it happened to them, to a high school volleyball club, right after their incredible victory over Shiratorizawa, was almost impossible to comprehend.

Sighing, Hinata sat up in the bed, flinching as his neck twinged in discomfort. He brought a hand up to rub it, and felt bandages.

_He glanced down in horror as Yamaguchi wept into Tsukishima's chest, the bandages on his back soaked with blood and alcohol-_

Gasping, he shook his head to dispel the sudden memory assaulting his mind. He didn't want to remember that moment. That was the first time Kiken had hurt one of them.

Hinata didn't realise that he'd been digging his nails into his neck until he felt a hand gently touch his tense one, and he snapped his head to the side before realising, for the first time, that his parents and Natsu were there. The hand belonged to his little sister, who stared at him in worry.

"Shoyo! Thank God you're awake!" His mother exclaimed, although her voice was cautious, as if she wasn't sure how he would react to her voice.

"M-Mum…" He felt his eyes well up, and suddenly he was being held in a strong embrace by his family.

His father murmured comforts to him and Natsu started crying into his hospital gown. It didn't even register to Hinata that he was crying until his mother's hand tangled in his hair and she wiped his tears away with her other hand.

That moment could have lasted forever, but unfortunately, a doctor walked in at that moment and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Good morning, Mr and Mrs Hinata. I'm glad to see you're awake, Shoyo." She greeted, her voice warm and friendly.  _That was how Kiken sounded when we first met him,_ Hinata thought with a shudder. "We've run some tests, and you don't have any infections or Tetanus, which was our main concern. You weren't in need of a blood transfusion, and we've fixed your nose. All in all, you're good to go." She smiled kindly at him, which only reminded him more of Kiken.  _I can't think about him,_ he chided himself.

"We brought you a fresh change of clothes Shoyo." His father told him, pointing to a duffel bag by Natsu's feet.

Hinata merely nodded in response, and watched as the doctor left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

The next few minutes passed in silence as Hinata dressed himself, not bringing himself to use his voice. If he did, it would probably break with emotion. When this task was done, his mother held his left hand and Natsu held his right hand, with his father in front opening the door.

Before he went through the door, his father turned to him and smiled. "Let's go home, Shoyo."

And, despite everything, Hinata smiled.

Back at his house, he relaxed as the familiar scents of home filled his healing nose. His mother and sister hadn't let go of his hands, and his father, after locking the front door, went to prepare some food. A glance outside told Hinata that it was morning, which meant that he'd been under anaesthetic and asleep for almost an entire day. And he still felt tired and drained.

Natsu dragged him over to the couch, before switching the television on. The news channel appeared, and the reporter was talking about  _them_.

"… _despite Karasuno Volleyball Club being missing for only three days, many of them sustained severe injuries, including two people who were in ICU for the entirety of yesterday. Their conditions are unknown, but it was said that when they were brought in, they were in critical condition. In other news-"_

Suddenly, the television went black as his mother shakily switched it off. "Sh-Shoyo, I-"

"It was…only three days?" He breathed in shock, eyes distant and voice hollow. "It seemed like three weeks…"

"Do you…do you want to talk about it?" His mother warily queried, moving closer.

Hinata turned his head robotically to stare with unfocused eyes at her. "Two friends in critical condition…that'll be Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. I thought Yamaguchi's wound was sorted…?" It was then that his mother realised that her son was trapped in his mind, unable to hear her.

"Shoyo…" His mother trailed off, unsure of how to comfort Hinata. After all, how could you help someone who won't listen to you?

Abruptly, Hinata stood up, his living room melting away and being replaced by Kiken, holding his drill as he prepared to plunge it into the first-year's brain.  _His limbs wouldn't obey him, and he didn't realise he'd dropped to his knees, shaking, frozen. His neck was sticky with fresh blood, and he was completely alone – just him and Kiken, in the room which Ennoshita, Asahi, Tanaka and Nishinoya had left. He gazed at the drill as it shot towards him, seeking to end his life. Kiken's eyes glinted with glee as he was about to silence his prey. There was nothing Hinata could do to stop the weapon. His death was inevitable, and imminent. The drill was so close, and no-one was there to save him. He accepted his fate, and prepared to die, and then-_

-and then he blinked, and he was on his knees in his living room, his mother staring at him in concern, tears streaming down her cheeks. He found he could move his limbs, and that the bandages around his neck were clean, dry and unsoiled.

Taking a shuddery breath, he realised that he was crying and shaking. Natsu had fled the room, and he glanced to the left to see her hiding behind their father.

"Sh-Shoyo? Are you with us?" His mother asked, and he turned his gaze back to her.

"Wh-what happened…?" He asked weakly, feeling emotionally and physically drained.

She sighed in relief and sat back as she knew he was back in the present time. "You had a flashback or a hallucination of some sort. You scared Natsu, Shoyo – you scared us all."

His father took a tentative step forwards, Natsu following silently. "Are you alright now, son?"

"I…" He was about to say 'I'm fine', but he realised that he really,  _really_ wasn't. "No. I…I was so  _scared_ , on that island, and I didn't think I'd ever see you guys again-" He cut himself off with a choked sob. His mother instantly embraced him, rubbing his back and placing a hand on the back of his head comfortingly.

"It's okay now, Shoyo; you're home. It's over. It's all over. You're safe." His mother whispered in his ear, and he relaxed in her arms, falling asleep to the sound of peace and tranquillity.

* * *

Kageyama was discharged thirty minutes after being taken into the hospital, as the few tiny cuts he had were cleansed and the doctors had made sure his cold wasn't something worse. All in all, he considered himself incredibly lucky to leave Calamity Isle with nothing more than horrible memories, a fading cold and insignificant cuts and bruises.

His parents hadn't left him alone since he got back. As soon as he'd stepped off the Search & Rescue boat, they'd embraced him and gone with him to hospital. He remembered the incident which had occurred there vividly, as if it was branded on his brain.

_Kageyama stared at the pandemonium before him. Sirens screeched as ambulances stood by, waiting to take the teenagers to hospital. Police cars parked nearby, and barriers were put in place to keep the media and civilians back. But in front of the barriers stood the panicked parents of Karasuno Volleyball Club._

_He glanced to his side to see Hinata walking robotically, his gaze distant. Kageyama knew he was still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. Tsukishima and Ukai were immediately taken by ambulance crews as their clothes were soaked with blood, although thankfully the bleeding had stopped. Nishinoya was next to be taken, as he was extremely pale and looked about to pass out._

_Remembering the other severely injured teammate, Kageyama turned his head to find Yamaguchi – just in time for the latter's eye to roll into the back of his head as he collapsed._

_That was when the first-year setter saw the fresh blood soaking Yamaguchi's back._

_Quickly walking over, he knelt by the fallen pinch server and realised that walking through the jungle had torn open his stitches, and the pain and blood loss had finally got to him._

_Suddenly, there were paramedics gently lifting Yamaguchi onto a gurney and taking him into an ambulance, his parents hurriedly climbing in after._

_As soon as he got to his feet, he was almost knocked right off them again as his parents simultaneously hugged him tightly, and he found himself hugging them right back._

Sighing, Kageyama glanced at the window in the kitchen, wishing that, for just one moment, he could forget everything that transpired in the past three days. He wished he never went on the boat trip – of course, he couldn't have known what would happen on the boat trip.

"Hey, Tobio?" His father drew him out of his thoughts, and he glanced to the door, where his father had just walked in. His mother, who was sat next to him, left the room to give them a moment. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." He replied simply, knowing that, after everything he went through, he would not be classed as 'fine'.

Instead of pressing the matter, his father merely hummed in response and sat down in the chair his mother had just vacated. "I was wondering if you still had your phone."

Kageyama shook his head. "I lost it when…" he trailed off, taking a deep breath, before finishing, "when we crashed. I woke up and it wasn't there."

"I thought as much." His father nodded. "So, would you like to get another one?"

 _Is he serious? Right now? After everything I've been through, only a day after I got back, he wants to buy me a new phone?_ Incredulous, Kageyama didn't reply.

"Oh! I didn't mean right now; good God, that would be cruel. I meant sometime in the future. So, does that sound alright with you?"

"Yeah, I guess." He felt an itch in his throat, and couldn't hold back a cough.

"Do you want me to pour you a cup of tea to help with that throat of yours?" His father offered, already getting up.

Kageyama nodded, before returning his gaze to the window, which displayed his back garden.  _So much green…just like the jungle-_ Kageyama blinked to tear his thoughts away from the path they were going down. Instead, he thought about his friends. Sugawara, Yachi and Tanaka had all been discharged yesterday, although later than him. Narita, Ennoshita, Asahi, Daichi and Hinata were set to be released today – in fact, Kageyama realised, Hinata had been released earlier that morning – and the others would need to stay in a little longer. The main two he was worried about were Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. Due to the severity of their injuries and blood loss, they were classed as 'critical' yesterday; Kageyama had heard no more about their conditions.

"Here you go, Tobio." The voice of his father startled him, and he jumped slightly, which caused his father to flinch and bash his shoulder against his son's face as he was sitting down. "Ah, sorry!" When he got no response, he glanced at his son, and was worried to see the latter's eyes wide and distant.

_Kageyama checked to see if Sugawara was alright, after getting hit in the stomach. He'd knocked Kiken over, but didn't think to get the drill, as he was too focused on checking if his upperclassman was okay._

_So distracted was he by his concern for Sugawara, that he didn't see the knee until it connected to his face and sent him sprawling. His ears rang, as his vision blurred, and he felt like he was floating. His cheek stung painfully, but he didn't think his cheekbone was broken or anything._

_As the ringing was beginning to recede in his ears and his vision was starting to clear, he glanced up and froze in horror as Kiken was slowly approaching him. Kiyoko seemed to be in agony a few metres away, with Sugawara staring at him and Kiken, paralysed._

_Kageyama was going to die, right there and now._

_This realisation turned his blood to ice in his veins and his limbs turned heavy, as if they had been encased in blocks of ice. He couldn't move. He could only watch as the madman approached him. He wasn't ready to die. He was too young, and he had too many things still left to do. This wasn't fair. What did he do to anger fate so much? As Kiken neared, a pale hand suddenly grabbed the maniac's ankle, anchoring him in place. Relief flooded Kageyama's body so strongly he was almost overwhelmed by it, but then he realised that the hand belonged to Nishinoya – whose side was slowly soaking with blood. The setter knew that if Nishinoya lost too much blood, the consequences could be fatal._

Kageyama took a shuddery breath as he was shaken out of his flashback by his father shaking his shoulder frantically.

"Tobio? Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Thanks for the tea." He sighed. "But could you…give me a moment, please?" His father nodded and left, not wanting to argue with his emotionally fragile son.

Kageyama took a sip of his tea and placed his head in his free hand. He'd come so close to death, so close to being killed on that wretched island, that he doubted he'd ever go to another island ever again. He was content to stay in Honshu for the rest of his life.

He wondered how Hinata was coping. He'd also had a near-death experience with Kiken, apparently. If Kageyama was having flashbacks, then what's to say Hinata wasn't? They were unnervingly similar, after all.

Sipping his tea again, he debated on going to see Hinata.  _I think I should give him some time to adjust; after all, he seemed troubled when we got off the Search & Rescue boat._

Kageyama gazed out the window, hoping that everyone would come out of this alright.

* * *

Tsukishima woke to bright lights blinding him and worsening his headache tenfold. Groaning, he blinked a few times until his eyes had adjusted as much as they could. His left leg throbbed painfully, and he realised that he was in a hospital bed, with his leg and head firmly bandaged. The beep of a heart monitor was like a constant hammer blow against his skull.

Glancing to his side, he nearly jumped out of skin when he saw Akiteru, smiling tiredly at him. "Kei, you're awake at last. How are you feeling?"

"Like cra-"

"Let's not swear in a hospital, okay?" Akiteru chuckled, before placing a hand on Tsukishima's right shoulder, which was nearest to his older brother. "The doctors said you'll need to walk on crutches for a week or so after you're discharged."

"When will that be?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"How quickly you recover."

Tsukishima sighed with irritation. He knew his brother was trying to keep the conversation going, but he wasn't in the mood to be messed around. "Don't play with me. Give me an estimate."

"Well…your concussion should be gone sometime today, maybe tomorrow. Your leg will take at least a fortnight to fully heal, so I'd wager you'll be stuck in here for…four days? A week, maybe? Like I said, it depends on how quickly you heal."

Tsukishima hummed in response, before frowning. "Tadashi? Where is he?"

Akiteru sighed. "He collapsed soon after getting off the boat. He's spent a long time in the ICU, as there were some…complications with his injuries. But…" He trailed off, and Tsukishima swore his heart skipped a beat in worry. Then his brother glanced past him, and smiled softly. Confused, Tsukishima turned his head-

-and there lay Yamaguchi, peacefully asleep. The heart monitor which was annoyingly loud was next to his bed, and his skin was an unhealthy pale.

"Is he-" Tsukishima began, worrying that maybe his friend was comatose or something horrible like that.

"He'll be fine, Kei. Apparently they'll be some scarring, but his back will fully heal."

"What about his eye?"

Akiteru opened his mouth, closed it, then said, "He had laser eye surgery a few hours ago, and they found out that the object – a glass shard, I think they believed it was - which impaled his eye just nicked his optic nerve, so they're not entirely sure if he'll see again out of that eye. It's doubtful he will, but there's still a slim chance of hope."

Tsukishima was silent for a moment, before asking, "If he is half-blind, will he have a cataract?"

"No; they'll be a scar across his eye – I think from the right side to the centre of his pupil, roughly – but he won't develop a cataract if he does become half-blind."

"Hang on, how do you know so much?"

"Well, he's not allowed visitors yet, and since they moved him here and I was already in here, they explained it to me to tell him when he wakes up."

"And when will he wake up?"

"I'm not sure. But anyway, you should be worried about yourself. I mean, I've been scratched by a domestic cat before, but you really topped me there –getting scratched by a  _jaguar_? I'm surprised your leg is still intact, if I'm being honest." Akiteru leant closer. "But why did you try to fight a jaguar?"

Tsukishima turned his head away, a blush stubbornly appearing on his face. "It chased Tadashi through the jungle."

"Is that so~?" Akiteru murmured teasingly. "And since when were you on a first-name basis with Yamaguchi?"

"We've known each other long enough, haven't we?" He snapped, irritated with his brother's teasing. "Besides, everyone knows that disaster brings people closer together."

Akiteru lost his teasing smile and looked down. "I'm sorry about everything that happened to you."

"Why are  _you_ apologising? You didn't crash the yacht on the island."

"But I encouraged you to go."

"Oh yeah, you did." Tsukishima glanced at Akiteru, who cringed with guilt at his words. "But I don't blame you. Personally, I blame horrific weather and Kiken."

"'Kiken'?" His brother echoed, confused.

"Doesn't matter. He's dead now."

Akiteru was clearly taken aback by Tsukishima's bluntness. Before he could say anything, Tsukishima declared, "I'm tired. I suppose you'll stay if I fall asleep, won't you?"

Grateful for the change in topic, his brother smiled gently. "Someone has to watch over you two."

Humming, Tsukishima settled down on the bed and drifted off a few seconds later.

* * *

Yamaguchi slowly opened his eyes, wincing as a bolt of pain shot into his skull from his right one. Quickly shutting it again, he tried to get his bearings. He waited for his left eye to focus before realising he was in hospital.

 _Of course,_ he remembered,  _we'd just got off the Search & Rescue boat, and…well, I must have passed out._

He began to sit up, quickly regretting it as his back set on fire. Yelping in pain, he laid back down, scrunching his eyes shut until the pain died down to an uncomfortable ache.

"God, Yamaguchi! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" A voice startled him, and he opened his left eye. There was no one there, which meant he'd either completely imagined it, or the person was on his right side.

Turning his head slightly to the right, he saw Akiteru walking towards him, which caused him to frown.  _Why is Akiteru here? Shouldn't he be with Tsukishima? Unless…_ Turning his head more, he saw his best friend, soundly asleep.

"Hey, Yamaguchi. How are you feeling?" Akiteru asked, sitting on the side of the bed.

"My back and eye hurt, and I'm a little weak and faint, but other than that, I'm fine. Wh-what about Kei?"

"He's fine – in fact, he just fell asleep. Unfortunate timing, considering you just woke up." He paused a moment, before saying, "How are you  _emotionally_  feeling?"

Yamaguchi frowned. The events the Karasuno Volleyball Club had just been thrown through felt surreal, as if it was nothing but a dream. Alas; not even the vastest of imaginations could have ever dreamed of such a terrible tragedy as Calamity Isle.

Akiteru noticed the first-year's silence, and murmured, "I'm guessing the realisation is just sinking in, huh?"

The pinch server sighed and closed his left eye, before opening it half-way and looking down. "One of my friends died. The others…" He trailed off, eye widening, and foolishly attempted to sit up again. The result was the same, but this time Akiteru was close enough to help Yamaguchi.

"Maybe you shouldn't try that, Yamaguchi. You could tear open your stitches."

"I'm fine." He responded, not really listening. "How are the others? How's Nishinoya? He was the worst of us all, but Daichi's arm was starting to heal in the wrong place and Ukai got bitten viciously by the jaguar…" He trailed off, locking eyes with Akiteru. "Please, I need to know."

Tsukishima's brother chuckled lightly. "You shouldn't have ever gone through this; you're too pure." He quickly filled Yamaguchi in on the basics, before discussing the teen's own injuries.

"…Is there a bandage over my right eye?" The pinch server asked after the information had sunk in. At Akiteru's nod, he asked, "Could you take it off? I want to test if I can use my eye."

"I…I don't know if I'm allowed to…I doubt it…" he glanced at Yamaguchi's desperate, pleading expression, before adding, "I suppose I could try."

Leaning forward, he gingerly took off the bandage hiding the first-year's right eye. Taking a deep breath, Yamaguchi slowly opened his right eye, clenching his jaw as sharp knives pierced his skull. He focused on trying to see, straining his damaged eye to its limits as desperation took over. He  _had_ to regain his sight. If he didn't, he couldn't play volleyball. He  _needed_  his second family, and he refused to let a tiny shard of glass take that away from him.

Just as he was beginning to despair, and the pain was getting unbearable, he started to make out blurry shapes in the right side of his world. It was dark, blurry and painful, but he could  _see_.

"I-I can see! I-ah!" The knives suddenly twisted in his head and he slammed his right eye shut, digging his nails into the hospital bed as he waited for the agonising pain to die down.

"Ya-Yamaguchi!" Akiteru cried in horror, quickly re-applying the bandage. He then shakily removed Yamaguchi's right hand from the bed and clasped it in his own, squeezing comfortingly.

"I-I'm alright." He took a shuddery breath and willed the tension out of his body. Only part of it left.

"Okay, I'm not letting you do  _that_  again." Akiteru declared, voice both stern and relieved.

Yamaguchi glanced at his best friend's older brother, and beamed. "I could  _see_! Sure, it was dark and blurry, but I could  _see_!"

"Only when you strained your eye to the limit and ended up in agony." He pointed out. "Just focus on getting some rest. After all you went through, you need it."

"If Kei wakes up before me, can you tell him that I could see? Even if it was only a little for a moment, and was probably a fluke, could you still tell him?" Yamaguchi asked, carefully laying back down.

Akiteru smiled softly and squeezed the first-year's hand once more. "You have my word." With that, the pinch server fell into a peaceful slumber, close to his best friend and guardian angel.

* * *

Yachi sat on her sofa surrounded by the comforts of home. After her arm had been bandaged and her ear had been thoroughly cleaned, she had been discharged, and wasted no time embracing her parents. She was finally  _home_. Her parents, particularly her mother, Madoka, hadn't stopped fussing over her since she'd got back. Not that she was complaining, of course. All of the stress and chaos which had transpired over the last three days had worn her down – a little pampering was working wonders.

"Hitoka," her mother called, rousing her from her musings, "do you want to go over now?"

The destination in question was, of course, the hospital, but Yachi wasn't sure if she was up to seeing her teammates so soon. Seeing them might just trigger the painful memories to flood back to the forefront of her mind; she just wasn't ready. Not yet. She was trying  _so hard_ to supress the memories – she didn't  _want_ to remember. She wished she could just erase them from her mind, but that was impossible.

"Not…not yet." She mumbled quietly, after a long hesitation.

Madoka nodded in understanding. "Of course; take your time. Whenever you're ready, we can go then. There's no rush." She reached over and placed her hand on Yachi's knee. "You are my top priority. I'm here for you – you know that, right, Hitoka?"

Yachi smiled softly. "I do. Thank you, mum."

Her mother blinked rapidly to clear the building tears in her eyes, before patting her daughter's knee and getting to her feet. "I'm going to make something to eat. Do you want to help me?"

"Yes please." Yachi replied, rising from the sofa. It was strange, how quick the change from chaos to tranquillity occurred. Not that she was complaining, of course. She was worried about the others, but she knew they were strong. They'd find a way to pull through. Many people believed that Karasuno would never beat Shiratorizawa – yet here they stood, champions. Her friends would be okay.

With that thought in mind, Yachi completely relaxed, both in body and mind, and embraced her home.

* * *

Narita couldn't stop glancing out the hospital window. He was set to be released in an hour or so, and his parents were sat by his bedside, silent. They respected the fact that he needed time to come to terms with everything. With-

_-Kinoshita lying on the ground, ashen-faced, blood staining his shirt, slowly drying. His eyes, forever closed, never to be opened again. His voice, never to be used again. His potential, gone to waste. He was-_

Narita bit back a gasp as the memory of the first time he saw his friend after the crash assaulted him. He still struggled to grasp the fact that one of his best friends had…had  _died_ on Calamity Isle. Of all the people, why did it have to be  _him_? What had poor Hisashi done wrong?

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the second-year knew he shouldn't think like that. He shouldn't wish for another teammate taking Hisashi's place in the afterlife.  _What's done is done, I suppose,_ he thought solemnly,  _and besides, he died in the noblest way possible. I'm proud of his sacrifice. I just…I just wish he didn't have to die. But Hisashi is gone now. He isn't coming back. I have to –_ need  _to – accept that._

Returning his mind to the present, he noticed a single crow fly by the window.  _Maybe I'm overanalysing this, but could that crow represent Hisashi?_ He pondered, before chiding himself for being ridiculous.

Curiously, the crow appeared by the window, and Narita could have sworn it was looking straight at him. It hovered by the glass, head cocked to the side.

Hope getting the better of him, the second-year pushed his covers off him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, before getting to his feet. He soon regretted it as his ribs protested angrily; the pain was so sudden and intense it caused him to double over, his breath leaving him in a rush.

"Kazuhito! Are you crazy?!" His father cried in alarm, leaping over to support him before he fell over. "Your ribs were recently broken, remember? Not to mention the inflammation which put pressure on your lungs! God; don't suddenly spring up like that! What if you'd broken your ribs again?"

"S-Sorry, dad." Narita wheezed as his breathing slowly returned to normal. "I just…can you help me over to the window?"

Frowning in confusion and concern, his father was about to protest when his mother chipped in, "Take him to the window. After that, he can rest."

His father nodded in acceptance and assisted Narita in the short walk over to the window. The pain had receded to a bearable ache, but it was still slow progress. Surprisingly, the crow was still there, and Narita became more hopeful each second.

Once his father had opened the window, the crow settled on the windowsill. Narita took a tentative step closer, afraid that he might scare the bird off, but it stayed put.

"H-Hisashi?" His parents gasped simultaneously behind him, but he paid them no heed. "Is that you?"

The crow's eyes glittered and it cawed once, before lifting into the air and flying into the distance. Narita stayed by the window, confusion spreading on his face. Had that crow really been his friend? However ridiculous it sounded, hope had flared in his chest. The crow had certainly expressed unusual behaviour – what's to say that his friend's spirit hadn't inhabited the crow?

"Kazuhito…Hisashi…" His mother started, before trailing off, unsure of how to get her point across.

"I know he's g-" his throat closed up, but he cleared it with a cough that burned his chest and continued, "gone, but I…it's just hard, mum. I still haven't fully come to terms with it. After all, how could I? It's not every day that a teenager loses one of their best friends." He took a deep breath to steady himself, eyes closing. He kept his gaze glued on the horizon where he'd last seen the crow. "I feel like this was a sign, you know? I…I miss him. It's only been three days, but…there's an empty void in my heart that he left behind. I'm just…desperate for any sign of him, I suppose. Even if it means believing in paranormal beliefs such as his soul inhabiting a crow."

"I know, Kazuhito. You miss him – so do we. He was such a nice boy; I can't even begin to imagine the pain you, Chikaru and Hisashi's parents are going through. You were all a lot closer than we were." His mother replied after a brief pause.

"Come, Kazuhito; sit back down. Rest, let your body heal. Then you'll be able to go to the funeral." His father added.

Narita's head snapped round to his parents. "Funeral? Since when? When is it?"

His mother sighed and shot his father a glance that read  _well done_  sarcastically. His father explained sheepishly, "Apologies; we were going to tell you in a few days, after you've healed a bit more. Of course Hisashi would have a funeral – it's set to be in a week from now. The entire club's invited, but some might not make it in time."

 _Nishinoya, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima, maybe Ukai,_ Narita created a mental list of people who might not be fit for discharge in a week. "What are they going to do with his…with his body?"

His parents shared a glance, before his mother responded, "Hisashi's parents want to cremate him, so they can share some of his ashes with you and Chikaru. We're not sure if they still want to do that – it must be very hard to even  _plan_ this, let alone part with some of their son when it's all over."

"I know this sounds selfish, but I'd like having part of Hisashi with me. I'd like it a lot." Narita murmured as he walked over to his bed, leaning on his father slightly.

"It's not selfish at all; I understand." His father answered. "We'll speak to Hisashi's parents after you're discharged, get a few more details. How's that sound?"

For the first time since the events of Calamity Isle, Narita smiled. "It sounds great."

* * *

Ennoshita rubbed his left arm for the umpteenth time as he gazed out of his window. He sat on his bed only thirty minutes after being discharged, and yet all he'd done was stare out of the window. He just couldn't find the energy to avert his gaze. Outside his window lay the world; and outside the world they knew was the world of the unknown: the world of secret organisations, of hidden islands, of psychotic mass-murderers. The world which they had been viciously thrown into with no pre-warning.

He was about to rub his arm again when he shifted his gaze down to the clean white bandages adorning his injured limb. The bandages were not that stark a contrast to his skin, which should worry him, but he found he didn't care.

Ennoshita couldn't understand why he kept rubbing his arm. It didn't hurt, and only ached when he rubbed it too vigorously. So then, why did he do it? It didn't achieve anything. He just felt that he needed to do something, else he would wallow in guilt for not being able to save his friend-

- _Hisashi, lying pale on the floor of the destroyed yacht, the offending metal beam impaling him through his chest. Ennoshita, unable to move, stared at his best friend as the latter lay, unmoving. He hated seeing his friend in so much pain that he couldn't even move-_

 _-then he realised that his friend wasn't breathing._ Hisashi wasn't breathing.  _Ennoshita needed to administer CPR, needed his friend to start breathing again, needed Hisashi to be_ alive  _because he'd be damned if he did nothing while his friend lay unbreathing. The attentive part of his mind told him that the metal beam had damages Hisashi's lungs and heart, so the chances of him surviving were practically zero._

_Ennoshita subdued that traitorous part of him as he focused on working a way to help his friend. He saw Ukai's grim expression, and the realisation hit him like a truck: Hisashi was dead._

Ennoshita blinked as he returned to the present, and felt tears flowing freely down his face. Numbly, he reached up with his right hand and touched his right cheek, before retracting it and staring at the tips of his fingers, which glistened with the emotional liquid.

Taking a shuddery breath, Ennoshita tried to steady himself as the grief tore at his heart. He doubted he would ever fully 'move on' from Hisashi – there was a suddenly empty void in his soul that no-one could ever fill. The mere  _thought_ of Hisashi sent an agonising pang through his heart. But he didn't have to 'move on' from Hisashi – after all, that might lead to forgetting him. Instead, Ennoshita would accept the fact that his best friend sacrificed himself to save their coach. He was actually glad that his friend had died in such a noble manner; if he'd have lost his life due to crash impact, his death would be labelled as 'unfortunate' or 'wrong place, wrong time'. Even to the end, Hisashi never failed to make Ennoshita swell with pride.

The second-year turned his head back to the window, ignoring the slight twinge the fading bruise on his cheek gave him. He frowned as he noticed the crow hovering outside the window, its black eyes staring straight at him.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, before heading over to the window and opening it. The crow immediately landed on the windowsill, much to Ennoshita's confusion.  _What peculiar behaviour,_ he thought, as the crow remained staring at him.

Crow. Karasuno.  _Hisashi._

Gasping as his heart clenched in grief and tears viciously stung his eyes, he swept his arm at the crow, which cawed once before it flew away.

Swallowing, Ennoshita quickly shut the window and opened the bedroom door. There would be reminders of his friend everywhere he went. They would be painful, he knew that. He could only accept them, and make sure he never forgot Hisashi, and the sacrifice he made for Ukai, who ended up playing a key role in the events which later transpired.

With that thought in mind, Ennoshita shut the door behind him.

* * *

Tanaka wanted to hit something. A wall, a table, a person – preferably Kiken, or Mamoru, or whatever the hell his name was. He was just so  _frustrated_ , being stuck under house-arrest by his sister Saeko, which meant he wasn't able to go to the hospital and see Nishinoya and Kiyoko. He knew that Saeko had his best interests at heart, but couldn't she see that he  _needed_ to see his best friend? He'd almost  _died_ , for God's sake! If that wasn't reason enough to stay by Nishinoya's bedside while he recovered, then God only knew what was.

Sighing, Tanaka swept a hand over his face in exasperation. He still couldn't believe that he'd escaped that cursed island with merely a  _concussion_ , while his best friend got  _impaled_ and almost  _died_. The reminder of just  _how close_ Nishinoya had been to death froze Tanaka's insides and caused his hands to curl into fists of their own accord. He  _really_ wanted to hit Kiken now, but that would involve going back to the island, which was completely out of the question. Besides, Kiken was dead now, so he'd only be hitting a corpse. The lack of reaction took the fun out of it, he supposed.

Feeling fidgety, he stood up too quickly and black spots engulfed his vision, before dissipating into nothing. Cursing the lingering effects of his concussion, he marched out of his room and walked straight into Saeko. She quickly put her hands on her hips and fixed him with a stern glare.

"I hope you're not thinking of escaping, Ryuu." She stated, an obvious threat in her voice. "You're staying here until you're fully recovered, got it?"

"I'm fine  _now_ , Saeko!" He snapped. "I'm worried about Yuu, and sitting around doing nothing here isn't going to help him!"

"Oh, but sitting around and doing nothing at the  _hospital_ instead will  _magically_ make him feel one hundred per cent?" She retaliated sarcastically.

Tanaka sighed and looked at the floor. "I just…I  _need_ to see him. I-I'm worried about him. I need to know how he's doing."

Saeko gazed at him for a long time in silence, before muttering something under her breath and whirling around. Tanaka snapped his head up, staring at her in confusion, before he noticed her grabbing her jacket and keys.

"Make sure you have something to eat and drink, and don't overexert yourself. Watch TV or something until I get back."

"Saeko, I…" He trailed off, a grin breaking out across his face, "Thanks. You're the best sister ever~"

She smiled at him, although he could have sworn there was an underlying sadness which quickly disappeared. "Be back in maybe half an hour."

"Okay~" Tanaka watched as his sister shut the front door and locked it behind her, and was instantly reminded of-

_-Tanaka and Ukai headed towards the room which had previously held Yamaguchi and Nishinoya. They were determined to find out who exactly Kiken was. He frowned as he heard the door of the room he'd just been in close shut, but he simply put it down to Asahi's paranoia._

Tanaka shook his head to clear the memory, wincing as his head throbbed in protest. If he'd only checked to make sure everything was alright, then maybe Asahi, Ennoshita and Kiyoko wouldn't have gotten hurt. He hoped they could forgive him.  _They'd probably say I'm being too hard on myself or something,_ he thought with a chuckle,  _when it_ is  _my fault._

"Well, wallowing in guilt isn't going to get anything done." He declared out loud to the empty house, before heading to the kitchen to make a snack. He didn't feel hungry; he just wanted to occupy himself with something to distract himself from the overwhelming guilt which lay festering in his heart.

It didn't take long for him to consume his food on the sofa, but he suddenly felt drained and he cursed his concussion and the taxing events of the last three days. Unwillingly, he fell into a light sleep, disturbed only when Saeko unlocked the front door and loudly declared, "Ryuu! I'm home!".

Grumbling under his breath as he fought the grogginess of waking up, Tanaka pushed himself into a sitting position and glanced at his sister as she entered the living room. "Hey Ryuu, how are you feeling?" She asked softly, placing a hand on his head.

Unused to his sister's gentle side, he took a few seconds to formulate an answer, before replying, "I'm fine. How's Yuu?"

"He hasn't woken up yet, but apparently he came out of the ICU ten minutes before I got there. I wasn't allowed to go in – family only, you see – but the doctor explained his condition to me."

"Have they given him a blood transfusion? And bandaged up his wound? Is there going to be any permanent damage?"

"Whoa, slow down, tiger!" She chuckled, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Most of the blood lost has been replaced, and his wound is all bandaged and taken care of. Apparently there will be some scarring, but other than that, there's no permanent damage."

Tanaka felt drunk on relief. "Oh, thank God." He looked at Saeko, whose eyes flickered with sadness for a split second – but a split second long enough for him to worry. "What aren't you telling me?"

Her eyes widened for a moment, before she started, "Ryuu, I don't-"

"Please. I need to know."

She held his gaze for a moment, before sighing. "I didn't want to tell you yet; not until you've recovered, anyway."

"So…it's serious."

"…Yeah."

An uncomfortable silence descended on the siblings, before Tanaka whispered a desperate 'Please'.

Saeko ran a hand over her face, before starting, "You-you've heard about Kinoshita, haven't you?" At Tanaka's nod, she continued, "His parents are planning to have his funeral next week. They're going to cremate him."

The second-year went worryingly quiet and still, and Saeko was worried that the sensitive information had broken her little brother when he monotonously asked, "How do you know all this?"

"I ran into Narita and his parents as they were leaving the hospital. He's just been discharged. His parents told me – I don't think Narita could trust his voice to talk about it."

Tanaka nodded numbly, still trying to process the information. "It's…it's so soon…" He murmured, almost inaudibly. Luckily, his sister picked up on it.

"I know, but…hey, if you don't feel up to going, you-" She began, but he interrupted.

"Are you kidding me? This is my friend's  _funeral_ ; I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Figured you'd say that." Saeko muttered, before grinning and slapping his back. "Hurry up and get better then, Ryuu!"

Glad his sister had stopped treading eggshells around him, Tanaka smirked in return. "Naturally."

* * *

Nishinoya blearily opened his eyes, albeit he quickly shut them against the blinding overhead lighting. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he at least knew he was in hospital. His abdomen didn't send waves of agonising pain crashing into his body anymore; instead, it was merely an uncomfortable ache, for which he was grateful. He never wanted to be in so much pain again.

"Yuu? Are you awake, son?" The tentative voice of his father cut through his thoughts, and he forced his eyes open against the headache-inducing lights to gaze at his parents. As they saw he was conscious, they sprang up to embrace him, avoiding his stomach.

"How are you feeling?" His mother asked after she sat back down, holding his hand and rubbing her thumb across the back of it.

"My stomach aches, and I feel kind of tired, but other than that, I'm fine. I'm just glad to be back home." He replied, smiling softly.

"We're glad you're safe now, too. When we heard about your club disappearing, and we were so worried. You weren't answering your phone, and no-one had heard from any of the team after the storm, so we thought the worst had happened. But when reports came in that Search & Rescue had found you, we were so relieved." His mother explained, tears forming in her eyes.

"I think we can all agree that you're never going on a boat again, Yuu." His father added, to a chuckle from Nishinoya and his mother.

"I'm certainly not objecting." The second-year replied. He remembered when the storm struck while the were at sea: how the boat rocked unsteadily, how strong, fearless Tanaka hid under a bed, eyes wide with fear, how he went down to the cleaning room to get buckets to plug cracks in the windows of the yacht – and how he saw solid ground under the boat before there was a deafening crash and everything went black.

"How are…" his father began, unsure of how Nishinoya would respond, "how are you coping?"

The libero opened his mouth to reply, before closing it as he found the question difficult to answer. He thought back to the last three days, of seeing one of the bravest people he knew crumble under a storm, of waking up alone and in white-hot pain in the bottom of the ruined yacht, of having the foreign object in his body yanked out abruptly by Sugawara and Daichi, of Kiken standing over him with a needle, of grabbing Kiken's ankle to protect his underclassman while more of his blood leaked onto the floor; he thought of all this, and how his blood had turned to ice in his veins and nausea was rising in his throat, and decided that he wasn't really coping that well.

"I…I don't know, dad – it wasn't a normal situation. It was stressful, scary and painful, I'll admit it. How…how  _do_ you cope with something like what I've been through?" He felt his eyes sting with unshed tears, but he refused to let them fall. His confident demeanour had crumbled, and he felt incredibly vulnerable in that moment, but he doubted crying would help.

"Yuu…what you've been through is tough. I think the only way to cope is to talk to people who can empathise. Talking to your friends and your coach or a therapist is the only way I can think of for you to move on from this. What do you think?" His father suggested.

"Of course, you need time to recover, so I wouldn't suggest doing it now…maybe in a week or so?" His mother piped up, earning a confused frown from his father.

"But next week is-" He quickly cut himself off and glanced at Nishinoya.

"What? What's next week?" He asked, before a yawn slipped past his defences.

"You need to rest, Yuu – go to sleep. When you next wake, we'll tell you. Does that sound okay to you?" His mother offered.

Nishinoya nodded tiredly, and was soon fast asleep, too exhausted to be stubborn, content with the knowledge that his parents were watching over him and keeping him safe.

* * *

Asahi wanted nothing more than to run to the hospital, but he was under strict rules from his parents to rest and not overexert himself. Surely he was overexerting himself by worrying almost to death about his friends?

The doctors told him that his ankle had been minorly twisted, and had mostly healed on its own anyway. The cut to his chest hadn't damaged his rib cage and held no risk of infection. It wouldn't take long to heal, which was a relief.

Since he wasn't allowed to go and see his friends, Asahi had to settle for worrying about practically  _everything_. Obviously his friends and Ukai took the top spot, but a close second was his future. For all this to happen near the end of his last year of high school was beyond cruel, and he wondered whether it would affect his exams. He hoped not.

He wanted to see Sugawara, Daichi and Kiyoko desperately. Sugawara had been discharged with him yesterday, and Daichi was supposed to have been released a few hours ago. Kiyoko would be in hospital for a few more days due to her knee injury. He  _needed_ to talk to another third-year, who would have similar worries, but he didn't want to bother them during their period of readjustment to their normal lives. For him, worrying about the future was his method of forgetting about the past – more significantly, the past three days. He knew that trying to forget about it was unhealthy, but he didn't want to dwell on it. Not yet.

Asahi's chest suddenly started to ache, and he rubbed it half-heartedly. He wished he could just forget about the whole ordeal – to confront and come to terms with it would require courage, and he doubted he had enough of that to be up to the task. He knew he'd have to do it eventually, just…not yet. He was still reeling from the  _crash_ , let alone what happened next. He wasn't ready. He needed more time.

He supposed that another reason for him supressing the memories of the last three days was to hide from the guilt gnawing away at his stomach. He'd  _known_ what would happen  _hours_ in advance and yet his attempts at saving his friends and Ukai had been in vain. If he'd only tried  _harder_ , then maybe Tsukishima and Ukai wouldn't have been injured by the jaguar. It just seemed so ironic that the timidest person in the club would receive déjà vu of what was to come. Despite him slowly gaining confidence over the past few months, it seemed he still wasn't strong enough to fight against his friends' wishes, even though he was doing it for their own good.

Asahi shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to tuck those memories into a box in the far corner of his mind. He didn't want to see Ukai or Tsukishima anytime soon. The moment he saw them, with their shoulder and leg respectively bandaged, the guilt would choke him. He decided that staying in his house, in his cocoon of oblivion and fear, would be best for everyone.

And so, the desire to see his fellow third-years dissipated into the air.

* * *

To say Sugawara was worried was a complete understatement. He'd been dubbed the 'mother' of the Karasuno Volleyball Club due to his gentle, caring and worrying personality. Now, with every single person in the club injured in some way (and one sadly deceased), his 'mother mode' was going into overdrive. He felt like he was going to explode with concern as he paced the length of his room.

Every step he took sent a twinge of pain from the cut on his hip, but he ignored it in favour of worrying himself to death. His left wrist was bandaged and he had to have an ice pack on it to keep the swelling down, so his hands were occupied and as such, he couldn't rub his hip.

Sighing, Sugawara gave up and sat down, balancing the ice pack on his left hand while he rubbed his hip with his right. He thought about visiting the others, but one thing held him back: the incident with Kiken when he'd nearly  _killed the other_. He was horrified and disgusted with himself in the direct aftermath, and he was convinced that Daichi in particular would avoid him and ignore him-

-and then the captain had hugged him, much to Sugawara's surprise. He still couldn't understand  _why_ Daichi had hugged him. After all, he'd just committed attempted murder, and his best friend was completely fine with it? He shook his head and took a deep breath. He needed to sit down and talk to Daichi about the incident, but would Daichi want to listen.

Sugawara wondered what his parents would think of him if they found out what he'd done – or, at least,  _tried_ to do. Would they be as disgusted with him as he was? Or would they be like Daichi, and pretend like everything was fine?

The third-year abruptly put the ice pack down and stood up, his hip protesting, and left his room, deciding on his next course of action. He walked over to his father, who was just climbing the stairs.

"Dad, can I walk over to Daichi's?" He asked bluntly.

His father frowned. "Are you sure that's the best thing to do? You're still injured, and you both need to settle down to your normal lives. Isn't it too soon?"

"I just…I need to sort something out. Please dad, it's really important." His voice cracked with emotion at the end, and his father caved.

"…Okay, Koushi. If you think you're ready, and it's so important, then of course you can go. Do you want me to drive you?"

Sugawara shook his head. "No thanks. I need some time alone to think."

"Of course. No problem." His father smiled warmly at him, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, implying that he wasn't really okay with letting his potentially mentally damaged son walk around the neighbourhood by himself.

Nodding gratefully, Sugawara walked downstairs, wordlessly putting his shoes on and stepping out of the front door. He knew he probably came across as cold and distant, but his emotions were slowly suffocating him, and he needed to be by himself or with his friends to deal with them. He hoped that the journey would give him time to sort himself out a little bit, before emotional pandemonium erupted at Daichi's.

Sighing, the setter followed the familiar route to his friend's route, and reflected on the past few days. He remembered feeling so cold when he'd found Nishinoya, and the stress and worry which had plagued ever since the yacht crashed. He felt like they'd been there longer than three days. For all which had occurred to happen in the space of seventy-two hours shocked him.

 _I wonder how the others are doing,_ he thought as he turned a corner,  _are they slowly falling apart like me? Or have they already broken?_ He angled his head towards the sky and thought about Nishinoya and Yamaguchi. They had suffered the worst injuries by far, and he hoped they were recovering well. If Yamaguchi became permanently half-blind, it would be incredibly hard for him. Sugawara also thought of Kinoshita, and how pale and peaceful he'd looked. His heart clenched, and he knew that Ennoshita and Narita would be absolutely devastated at the loss of their best friend.

The third-year frowned as he realised that he could have easily been in their shoes. If Daichi had suffered more than a broken arm, or Asahi had done more than twist his ankle, or Kiyoko hadn't merely sprained her knee…he couldn't even  _begin_  to imagine the level of grief.

Sugawara's mind added that  _he_ could have come off a  _lot_ worse – a cut on his hip and a sprained wrist was nothing compared to Yamaguchi's eye, Narita's ribs and Nishinoya's abdomen. To say their yacht crashed into a  _cliff_ , quite a few of them were insanely lucky, for which he was grateful. If more than one of them had died…he didn't want to think about what  _that_ would mean.

Suddenly, the third-year came to an abrupt stop as he realised that he had reached his destination. He walked up to the door and rang the bell, before frowning. Was this a good idea after all? Was it too soon, like his father had said?

Sugawara was beginning to think he should never have come and he should leave while he had the chance when the door swung open.

* * *

Daichi decided he didn't like having his bones broken.

His right arm sat uselessly in a massive cast, which in turn was sat uselessly in a sling which rubbed against his neck. As he only had one able arm, simple things proved difficult for him. He was even more irritated due to the fact that the bones had tried to reattach themselves and had got it horrifically wrong, so the doctors had to break his arm  _again_  so his arm could properly heal.

Furthermore, Daichi didn't realise how mentally and physically drained he was until he returned home and nearly fell asleep standing up. In fact, he'd barely made it to his bed before he collapsed onto it, falling asleep in mere seconds.

He'd only woken up fifteen minutes ago, and spent the entire time cursing his broken arm and thinking about the past three days. He vividly remembered the look of pure horror on Sugawara's face after he'd tried to kill Kiken. He hoped his friend was doing alright; although, knowing Sugawara, he was still feeling guilty about it. He was most likely berating himself right this second – all of a sudden, Daichi wanted to check up on his friend. He didn't trust his fellow third-year not to be kicking himself in some way (most likely for the aforementioned reason).

The captain rubbed his temple with his left hand, wishing – not for the first time – that all of this had never happened to them in the first place. They were all ecstatic from their victory over Shiratorizawa, and then  _this_ had to happen. Talk about highs and lows. He wondered about the future of the volleyball club. Would Ennoshita and Narita stay, following the death of Kinoshita? Would Ukai resign his position as coach out of guilt for organising the boat trip which ended in tragedy? Would the club be back together before Daichi and the other third-years left? Would the club even  _come_ back together? After such an impacting ordeal, would the others  _want_ to stay in the club? There was the risk of Sugawara leaving after the incident with Kiken, and if Yamaguchi was permanently half-blind, he would struggle to play volleyball. But if Yamaguchi left, would Tsukishima follow?

All of these questions swam around in Daichi's head, and if he continued to ponder, he feared he'd get a headache on top of everything else. He supposed one of the captain's many duties was to think about the future of the club, but he really didn't want to at the present time.

Suddenly, his doorbell echoed throughout the house. His parents had left him alone once they'd gotten back, believing that he needed space rather than coddling – for which he was grateful.

Curious as to who it was (secretly hoping it was one of his friends), Daichi headed to the front door, and swung it open with his left hand to come face to face with Sugawara, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"K-Koushi!" Daichi exclaimed in surprise, eyes widening. "Please, come in!" He stepped back to allow his friend to enter his house, before shutting the door.

"Hello, Daichi." Sugawara greeted, voice oddly hollow.

Eyebrows furrowing in concern, Daichi placed his good hand on the setter's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Can we…" Sugawara hesitated, glancing round, "can we talk in private?"

Growing more worried by the second, the captain nodded. "Of course. Follow me." He headed back to his bedroom, surprised that he hadn't run into his parents yet.

The  _millisecond_  Daichi shut his bedroom door behind him, he whipped his head around to his friend and ordered, "Out with it. Now."

Sugawara sighed, and sat on his bed. Daichi sat next to him. "I…I needed to talk to someone about  _it_ , and I instantly thought of you. I understand if it's too soon, but I just…I just…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue, but Daichi understood.

"It's okay. You can talk about it."

The other third-year took a deep breath and exhaled, before saying, "I can't get the moment when I nearly killed Kiken out of my mind. I mean, I'm a  _teenager_ , for God's sake! I shouldn't be trying to kill people at this age! I was so convinced that you were going to hate me for what I did, but then-"

"-But then I hugged you, to show my support." Daichi finished, earning a confused stare from his friend. "Koushi, he injured Hinata, Ennoshita, Asahi and, on a lesser note, Kageyama and you. He poured alcohol onto Yamaguchi's back and threatened him, and drugged Nishinoya! He killed the people who were on that island before us. I understand why you tried to kill him: you were trying to protect our teammates. You tried to protect our little 'family', so as to speak. You didn't try to kill him because you're a bad person – which you're not, by the way –; you tried to eliminate him because he posed a serious threat to us all."

"…But you're still relieved I wasn't the one to take his life, aren't you?"

"Yes, but only because you'd have worse breakdowns than this." He brushed his left arm against Sugawara's right one. "You're too hard on yourself. Also, I honestly don't think there's any way I can possess an ounce of hatred towards you; you're too much of a brilliant person for me to hate."

The setter smiled. "We all have our dark sides."

"And finding yours is like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

Daichi grinned when Sugawara burst out laughing at his comment. "My God," the vice-captain wheezed as he wiped a tear from his eye, "you're so melodramatic."

The captain placed his left hand on his chest and closed his eyes. "I swear to only tell the truth." At this, Sugawara started laughing again, and Daichi joined him.

"You're so good at lightening situations."

"So are you." Daichi responded.

The setter smiled and his tone became serious. "Thank you for helping me, Daichi. It means a lot."

The captain patted his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I figured you'd be berating yourself around now, so it was only a matter of time, really."

"True, true. And how are you doing? Does your arm hurt?" Sugawara asked, concern filtering into his voice.

"Well, my arm feels sore, and I'm a bit tired – in fact, I only woke up about twenty-five minutes ago, more or less; but other than that, I'm fine. Hey, do you want to stay a little longer? There's no point leaving after one conversation, is there?"

The other third-year grinned and nodded, and Daichi felt like his life was truly returning to normal, after all.

* * *

Kiyoko focused on what her parents were saying, as she hated tuning out of conversations in case she was asked a question that she didn't know how to answer. However, she wanted nothing more than to retreat inside her mind in order to mentally and emotionally recover from the events of Calamity Isle.

She wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep under the safety of her own covers, but instead, she was confined to a hospital bed until tomorrow – hopefully, anyway. Due to her continuing to walk on her sprained knee, she'd completely torn the ligaments, resulting in an extra day in hospital. The doctors said that she might be discharged tomorrow, but she'd either be on crutches or in a wheelchair depending on how much she could move her lower leg.

Kiyoko was just grateful that she wasn't injured more severely. After all, Tsukishima was stuck in hospital for between four days and a week depending on how quickly he recovered. Nishinoya and Yamaguchi would remain here for at least a week, and Ukai would be here for five or six more days.

Despite her parents being by her bedside, the third-year manager felt lonely. No-one who had been discharged had visited her yet, but she knew that she shouldn't be disappointed because they, like her, would be trying to come to terms with everything that happened. She just wished that she had been allowed to share a room with one of the others still hospitalised. She'd been told by a nurse that Yamaguchi and Tsukishima were together, but Ukai and Nishinoya had separate rooms.

"Kiyoko? Are you listening?" Her mother's voice broke through her musings, and she stared apologetically at her parents.

"Ah, sorry; it won't happen again." She replied.

"It's okay, love. We understand. Do you…want to talk about it?" Her father patted her hand reassuringly.

"I…I don't know." She murmured, looking down at her lap.

"It would be a massive weight off your chest, honey." Her mother added, and Kiyoko sensed the desperation in her voice, realising that her mother didn't want her to distance herself.

"I'm not ready. Not yet. Maybe in a few days." Kiyoko smiled gently at her parents. "I won't bottle it up, I promise. I'll talk to you both when I'm ready."

Her mother visibly relaxed, and her father sighed with relief. If there was one thing that Kiyoko did, it was that she always stuck to her promises.

Kiyoko returned her gaze to her lap, and hoped that there would be a time when she  _was_ ready to talk about her experiences.

* * *

Ukai drummed his fingers on the bed as he slowly died of boredom. He sat propped up, his left shoulder, neck and right foot bandaged, with  _absolutely nothing to do._ Understandably, he wasn't allowed to smoke, seeing as he was in a hospital and all, but he'd never needed one more than that moment. After the hell he'd been put through for the last three days, he'd thought that the doctors would have allowed him  _one_ cigarette, at the very least.

Sighing, he glanced up at the ceiling, then at the window, then at the door, and then back up at the ceiling. He could at least have a  _book_ to keep him occupied. Instead, he only had his thoughts to entertain him; and they certainly weren't very helpful, as they kept drifting back to the members of the Karasuno Volleyball Club. He got regular updates from the doctors, but he wanted to see them for himself.

Grumbling an unintelligible noise of no particular meaning under his breath, he wished for someone to come in so he could have some form of social interaction. He tried to convince any medical personnel who came in that he was well enough to be discharged, but of course they didn't believe him. The cut on his foot had gotten infected, so he had to be kept on antibiotics, and, since the jaguar wasn't exactly hygienic, they had  _another_ reason to pump antibiotics into his system and keep him in hospital.

Suddenly, the door to his room opened, and he whipped his head around to see who it was, ignoring the painful protest from his neck. As soon as he saw the person, a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, look who it is! Karasuno's knight in shining armour himself!"

Takeda chuckled as he closed the door behind him. "Let's not be dramatic here."

Ukai's smile faded slightly. "Seriously though, thank you. You saved us. We owe you our lives. How can we ever repay you?"

"Seeing you alive and well is enough for me. Except…I heard about Kinoshita, and how he died…Keishin, I'm so sorry-"

"It wasn't your fault; it was mine. I shouldn't have shouted in a clearly unstable yacht. But when I looked him over after, he only had a few cuts and bruises. If the metal beam never fell, he would have been perfectly fine. He would never have…never have died…"

"A-actually, I spoke to the forensic pathologists who looked over Kinoshita in the morgue, and they told me that he had severe internal bleeding, which meant it was only a matter of time before he…" Takeda trailed off when he saw Ukai's horrified stare. "I'm sorry."

The coach sighed a ran his right hand through his hair. "The fact that either way, Kinoshita wouldn't have made it off the island alive is…God, it's beyond awful."

Takeda sat in one of the chairs by Ukai's bed. "Just…don't blame yourself, okay? Kinoshita's unfortunate passing was inevitable, but you kept everyone else alive." He reached over and patted Ukai's hand. "You did a good job, Keishin – don't forget that."

"Yeah," Ukai breathed, a smile gracing his lips as he gazed out the window.

It was finally over. They'd gotten through the most harrowing ordeal of their lives, and they stood on the other side as survivors. Kiken was dead, never to return, and they'd never have to endure the dangers of Calamity Isle ever again.

Coach Ukai exhaled deeply, his worries and troubles fading as he felt at peace with himself and the world.

After all that had been thrown at them, Karasuno Volleyball Club still stood strong. As friends. As survivors.

As champions, every one of them.

Ukai couldn't ask for a better team in any aspect; they were the best group of friends the world had ever seen.

And Ukai swelled with pride at every one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The end.
> 
> Wow, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Whoops.
> 
> And now, for the gratitude:
> 
> Thank you for all those who commented on this story; I made sure to read every one, and they all warmed my heart. Truly, I am utterly grateful.
> 
> Thank you for all those who bookmarked and gave kudos; your undying support does not go unnoticed, and your interest in my story is what keeps me writing.
> 
> Thank you for all those who took time to read this; the knowledge that there are people out there who read my works brings a smile to my face.
> 
> Thank you for all those who stayed with me during my unacceptable breaks between chapters; writer's block is awful, but my guilt towards making you wait and your patience towards the next chapter is what allowed me to break out of writer's block. Words cannot convey how grateful I am for your support and help.
> 
> I hope I have delivered to you as you have to me; and thank you for being such wonderful fans. You're all too perfect for this Earth.
> 
> Signing off on Calamity Isle for the last time:
> 
> Bye~


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